Drivers overwhelmingly vent their frustrations on the Halo

An overwhelming majority of F1 drivers  have expressed their disappointment with the planned instruction of the Halo cockpit safety device next season.

The controversial decision by the FIA to push the device through for 2018 on the grounds of safety has several drivers perplexed, with Max Verstappen in particular failing to understand the governing body's decision.

"I don’t like it, but of course at the end of the day you have to respect the decision of the FIA,” said the Red Bull driver. 

"I think since we introduced a Virtual Safety Car, that has reduced a lot of risk of speeding under the yellow flags in the race.

"Also, with the wheel tethers they are quite strong at the moment so you won’t lose a wheel very easily, and when there are parts flying around the car it isn’t really going to protect you.

"So, I don’t really understand why we should need it.

"I think as soon as I have that thing on my car, I don’t like it. So the excitement is already gone before I am sitting in the car," bluntly concluded Verstappen.

Haas' Kevin Magnussen was on Verstappen's side, saying that fans had all the right to be upset with the Halo. 

"I agree with Max," he said.

"It takes away some of the passion that F1 is talking about. When you look at the car and it is ugly, F1 cars aren’t meant to be ugly.

"That is the reason that a Ferrari is more exciting than a Mazda. It is something to do with passion. If it looks s**t, it is s**t..."

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GPDA director Romain Grosjean, theoretically an advocate for improved safety was equally despondent o the subject. 

"Personally I think it was a sad day for Formula 1 when it was announced - and I am still against it,” he said.

"I don't think it's got a space in Formula 1. As a GPDA member and director, as a driver, I need to thank the FIA for all the research because the research has been pretty strong, the Halo is a strong device against a lot of cases.

"There are occasions where it can get worse, which I am not particularly fond of. There are a few problems that we may have that we haven't thought of - seeing the starting light on the grid, no one has tried that.

"They're always different, they're always in a different place, seeing the flags on the side and things like that. So we need to see a bit more of that." 

Renault's Jolyon Palmer chimed in and was on the same page as his colleagues, even offering an ominous message.

"I agree with him. I think it is a sad day, a mistake, and there’s no coming back from it.

"This will be the end of Formula 1 as we know it, with an open cockpit.

“I think it’s an over-reaction to problems in other series. Since 1994 there’s been one fatality in F1, which is tragic, but the Halo wouldn’t have stopped it."

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