IndyCar racer Marcus Ericsson believes Formula 1 should switch to the aeroscreen cockpit safety device insisting the element is a "step up from the halo" used in Grand Prix racing.
Ericsson, who competed in F1 for five years and experienced the halo in 2018 with Sauber Alfa Romeo, moved to IndyCar in 2019 and currently races with Chip Ganassi Racing.
America's premier single-seater series adopted the aeroscreen from this season after the component was extensively tested and received the thumbs up from Indycar's drivers.
Designed by Red Bull Advanced Technologies, the device was initially considered by F1 teams before the FIA mandated the incorporation of the halo.
"The aeroscreen is like a halo structure with an added screen,” Ericsson told The Race. "I think it’s another step up from from the halo.
"I could see F1 and the European categories go that way, in the future."
The aeroscreen's efficiency was successfully put to the task in last weekend's first IndyCar round in Iowa when Penske's Will Power lost a wheel which bounced off the top of the safety device.
.@12WillPower has been cleared after this incident.
"I can't thank @IndyCar enough for that Aeroscreen." #INDYCAR #IOWA250s pic.twitter.com/kSc4qnMh0z
— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) July 18, 2020
But the element also served its purpose on the restart after the Power incident when flying debris from a dramatic crash between Rinus VeeKay and Colton Herta hit Ericsson's car, fortunately with no physical consequences for the Swede.
"Obviously the halo is good for bigger pieces but if it’s smaller debris, it’s obviously less protective compared to the aeroscreen," Ericsson added.
"When it [the VeeKay/Herta crash] happened, I was just focusing on trying not to get involved in the accident and not hit one of the two cars.
"I told the team that there was some debris hitting me, but I thought it was nothing serious, should be all fine.
An absolutely stunning sight at @iowaspeedway. @ColtonHerta and @RinusVeekay crash coming to an aborted restart, and Herta gets airborne. #INDYCAR // #IOWA250s pic.twitter.com/z8ZtPnvdcc
— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) July 18, 2020
"But then obviously after the race I watched the replays, I could see that it was quite a big piece – his wing or whatever – that hit around my aeroscreen area.
"It didn’t look nice when I saw that, but it did look nice that I had the aeroscreen there. It definitely again shows that IndyCar has really made the right call there.
"We’ve done six races now, I haven’t had any issues with the aeroscreen and in this situation, it was good that I had it, but also Rinus and Herta’s car going over around the cockpit.
"I think the aeroscreen already has shown that it is there to stay."
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