The FIA has released the first picture of the cockpit safety device which the governing body plans on introducing next season.
Cockpit safety has been at the forefront of the FIA's safety priorities in Formula 1 with several designs trialed in the past two years.
The 'Shield' device will appear for the first time at Silverstone, and as with the initial Halo concept, the device will be put to the task by Ferrari during Friday's first free practice session.
Based on the image supplied by the FIA, which depicts the 'Shield' mounted on a Williams, the design certainly offers better aesthetics than the Halo or Red Bull's Aeroscreen, but driver feed back will be paramount.
There's no doubt the device offers proper debris protection and deflection potential, but how will it fare in terms of visibility, especially under specific conditions like rain or fluid soiling?
The FIA says the 'Shield' is still in its development phase, undergoing indoor and outdoor tests monitored by the FIA.
In its release to the media, the sport's governing body the device is "aimed at providing significant protection from debris, while ensuring unrestricted forward vision for the driver."
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