Massa praises "beautiful" halo

Nobody is complaining about the halo now, are they? The new for 2018 safety device, designed to protect the drivers’ heads did its job during the spectacular first lap crash at the Belgian Grand Prix.

It has been reported that the halo could well have saved the life of Sauber driver Charles Leclerc after Fernando Alonso’s McLaren was sent airborne by Nico Hulkenberg’s double lock up heading into the first corner.

It was an accident somewhat reminiscent of the 2012 first lap crash, when Romain Grosjean flew over the top of Alonso, then driving for Ferrari.

And now former F1 driver Felipe Massa, who was Alonso’s team mate during the 2012 season has praised the halo’s impact on F1.

Massa said on Twitter: “After seeing this, we can say the halo is beautiful”.

Massa is of course no stranger to head injuries in F1, suffering from a career-threatening accident in 2009, after a piece of suspension fell off Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn and struck Massa in the head.

Massa’s injury was one of a few incidents that caused the FIA to look closer at further head protection in Formula One.