Todt lectures anti-Halo drivers with 'short memories'

FIA president Jean Todt says he is bewildered by F1 drivers' negative comments on the Halo given the fact that the device was developed and introduced at their request.

The governing body has made the cockpit safety element's presence mandatory in F1 this year and in several other junior single-seater series.

The Halo's introduction did not elicit unanimity however, with drivers offering mixed opinions on the controversial component.

Renault's Nico Hulkenberg said the device not only looked "stupid" but the German also questioned its usefulness, while Haas' Kevin Magnussen, who labeled the Halo as "ugly and annoying", suggested it could actually hinder a driver's view on tracks with significant elevation changes, such as Spa.

• Magnussen sees the Halo as a hazard at certain tracks

Speaking at a media briefing in London on Tuesday, Todt addressed the driver's criticism and reminded everyone of how the Halo came to exist.

"It is short memories and it was a request from the drivers," said the FIA president.

"On December 16, 2015, I got a letter that was signed by [GPDA directors] Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel and Alex Wurz, urging us to decide for head protection for the drivers. And I said, ‘We are there. We will listen.’

"Immediately we asked the technical people as a priority to see what could come out. And on July 27, 2016 they [the drivers] knew a meeting was going to happen – and they said: ‘Don’t be weak. Please respect what we have asked you on safety’.

"So we committed to taking that into consideration.

"I must say I am so surprised, and you know I love F1 but I hate this part of F1. You have people who don’t have [keep] their word.

"For me we are talking about the biggest asset in life: it is loyalty and having [keeping] a word and having respect of what you have been undertaking.

"We have respected that and some have forgotten that, but that is where we are."

In addition to several drivers' negative views on the Halo, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff also ripped the device apart, saying he would cut it off with a "chainsaw" given half a chance, a comment which also did not go down well with Todt.

"I will not react to what has been said. It is simply a childish game," said the Frenchman.

"I will only tell you for me, I love F1, and I think we all should love F1. I think it is very inappropriate whoever you are, just to publicly deny something which is introduced.

"For me, constructive criticism is always good because it makes you move forward. But public criticism which is not good for the sport – I don’t see the value," he added.

"Halo is a safety device. It is human attitude to be reluctant to change, but once we know the change, after a lot of experiences and a lot of testing is good, we should implement it.

"Can you imagine how we will all feel if something would happen and if we would have had the halo it would not have happened?"

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