For those unaware, earlier this week Mercedes revealed the W09 for the 2018 F1 season. Building on its winning formula, this year’s Silver Arrow team will look to continue where it left off.
The 2018 season for the sport is going to have something of a fresh feeling to it. Within the past three months, the F1 Group confirmed some interesting changes. These include a new logo, new tire compounds, and Grid Kids replacing female models.
One of the more controversial changes debuting in 2018 is the halo. While intended to protect the drivers from flying debris, it isn’t the most attractive addition to the sport. There’s no denying its potential though. After all, it can support the weight of a London double-decker bus.
With its safety potential well-documented, what happens to driver visibility? While the halo may very well serve a crucial purpose, the titanium beam extends over the driver’s line of sight. Mercedes is the first team to address this concern, giving us a look behind the wheel of the W09, care of Valtteri Bottas.
As the onboard lap suggests, the halo doesn’t impede visibility much at all. If anything, the central pillar is more of a distraction, one that should become less of an issue at speed.
FIA safety director Laurent Mekies further addresses the concerns:
“We did have an issue with feedback from one or two drivers that had a bit of a claustrophobic feeling the first time they ran, with that shape ahead of them. But we were comfortable that we can deal with all that.
“With an LMP1 we had the opposite problem. The FIA imposed a minimum field of vision to the manufacturers, otherwise they would design cars that basically would barely allow the drivers to see through.
“We are very comfortable with the fact that we are offering much better visibility than in other categories.”
It’s worth acknowledging Mekies addressed other concerns during a presentation last August. At the time, he was quick to point out the FIA is already working to improve the design. While that likely brings us to where we are with the halo now, nothing in F1 ever stagnates.
It wouldn’t surprise us if the halo’s design changes in some way before season’s end.
See more articles on F1 2018 Season, Mercedes-AMG, and Pre-Season.