Lewis Hamilton is arguably the most famous driver in F1 today and is a hugely influential figure in the sport. He uses his status in F1 as a platform to speak out on many things that he feels need to be addressed. However, Hamilton criticizing the Halo device was something a lot of people forgot happened.
F1 has always been working towards improving the safety standards of cars so that drivers don’t get seriously or fatally injured in case of an incident. The idea of having a Halo device in the car was another step taken to enhance safety. Hamilton, however, was not at all impressed with the design.
When the initial design was proposed in 2016, Hamilton took to Instagram to express how much he disliked it. He called it the ‘worst looking mod in F1 history’. “I appreciate the quest for safety but this is formula 1, and the way it is now is perfectly fine,” the Mercedes driver added.
Back then he didn’t know it, but the Halo would go on to be a device that would save Hamilton’s life.
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Lewis Hamilton escaped unscathed because of Halo during Max Verstappen crash
The 2021 Italian GP in Monza produced one of the most infamous crashes in recent F1 history. Hamilton was engaged in a championship fight with rival Max Verstappen heading into the race, and the two of them had already clashed multiple times prior to Monza. However, an incident mid-race turned out to be a catastrophic mistake for both as they were forced to retire from the outing.
Verstappen’s Red Bull crew made a slow stop which Hamilton was looking to capitalize on while approaching the main straight. When Verstappen exited the pit, he was wheel to wheel with the Brit and just seconds later, they came together and made contact. It was a scary sight for fans when Verstappen’s car was launched into the air and landed right on top of Hamilton’s.
The replays showed the wheel of Verstappen’s car making impact with the Halo device. had that device not been there, it would have caused severe injuries for Hamilton as it would’ve landed on his neck. The device which he ridiculed back in 2016 ended up saving his life five years later.
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Other drivers who were saved by Halo device
The Halo device has proved to be extremely useful on more than one occasion. At last year’s British GP, Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou suffered a horrific crash that would have certainly resulted in fatal injuries had it not been for the Halo.
On the very same weekend, Israeli F2 driver Roy Nissany also had a close shave after the Halo protected him from major injuries.
Looking back over the last few years, there have been several other incidents where the Halo has saved lives. One can take the example of Fernando Alonso and Charles Leclerc’s crash at Spa in 2018, where Alonso’s car was launched into the air but grazed Leclerc’s Halo, avoiding the Monegasque’s head.
The Halo’s design has been controversial to many people, but today, even Hamilton can’t deny that it has been a priceless addition to F1.
