Sergio Perez Hails ‘Brave Halo Decision’

Force India’s Sergio Perez has hailed the ‘brave’ HALO decision taken by the FIA next year. The governing body’s resolved to impose the cockpit safety device for the upcoming year. But the decision was met with controversy, with many drivers voicing their opposition to the Halo’s introduction. However, gradually, negative opinions have started diminishing. Unfortunately, the team designers remain frustrated by the constraints associated with the Halo’s integration.

Perez said, “The HALO is definitely hurting the aerodynamics a lot on our side but it’s the same for everyone. It’s a safety thing. After three, four races we will get used to it. In Formula 1, everything is changing very quickly. I expect and I hope that next year will be a really interesting year with all the teams closing up and I hope HALO after two or three races, nobody talks about it anymore.”

The Mexican believes that when it comes to a driver’s safety, no compromises should be allowed. He thinks that the HALO decision was a very brave decision from the FIA.

He continued, “We’re pushing on safety and I think it also shows this generation of drivers definitely are pushing for safety and not only for Formula 1, but for other categories. If you had the Halo in the last 10 years we would have saved a couple of lives already in the sport. I think it’s something that other sports would be proud of. Although I don’t like the look, it’s worth it.”

The HALO was extensively tested during the 2017 season, particularly in practice sessions. Many drivers had issues with the device, ranging from visibility to difficulty exiting the car to a sense of dizziness. Undoubtedly, the FIA will be hard at work trying to work out the kinks before the 2018 season begins.