Formula 1 - a 'gladiatorial' sport - wants to rename the Halo!

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Formula 1's team bosses apparently have an issue with the 'Halo' cockpit safety device set for a mandatory introduction in 2017: its name!

The safety component has been decried by fans and many within F1 since its emergence a year ago, and even more so since the announcement of its mandatory presence on cars from next season.

Halo won't lead to production delays, insists Haas' Steiner

The FIA has enforced its controversial decision however, and now team bosses want to change its name, with a discussion on the matter put on the agenda of F1's next Strategy Group meeting scheduled for November 7.

"We’re supposed to be a gladiatorial sport, and then we give the device an angelic name," a senior F1 source told Motorsport.com.

"We have various options [for a new name], but it could be something like ‘safety cage’."

'Safety cage' is certainly a straightforward and simple terminology, although if F1 is indeed 'gladatorial' - a word synonymous with exciting and brave combats - one could argue that the very presence of the Halo rather defeats the purpose.

Unfortunately, that argument was put to rest a long time ago...

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.