Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, but one thing they both agree on is that the Halo device in F1 cars today, is not attractive. Hamilton disliked the proposed concept of the Halo when it was first introduced in 2016, whereas Verstappen called it downright “ugly” before driving the cars.
In an interview ahead of the 2018 F1 season, Verstappen was asked about the RB14, and how it was different from the 2017 car. The first thing Verstappen pointed out was that the cars had the new Halo device on them, which was added for the drivers’ safety. Verstappen admitted that he wasn’t looking forward to driving the new cars, because of this new addition which he felt was ugly.
Verstappen wasn’t the only driver to not approve of the Halo being added in the early days. His future rival Lewis Hamilton too, tried to stop the FIA from having the Halo installed on the F1 cars, simply for the aesthetics.
Like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton went public against Halo devices
In the initial proposed design that was shown to drivers and fans in 2016, the Halo device was described as something that would save the drivers from high-speed impacts on the track. Hamilton, however, didn’t appear to be too bothered about safety and instead, went public to show that he disapproves of the design.
On his Instagram account, the seven-time world champion posted a story and wrote–
“I appreciate the quest for safety but this is Formula 1, and the way it is now is perfectly fine.”
Hamilton went as far as calling the Halo “the worst-looking mod in F1 history.”
Halo: The device that saved Hamilton’s life from Verstappen’s aggression
The 2021 F1 season saw a season-long intense battle for the world championship between Verstappen and Hamilton. As the season approached its climax, the two drivers dueled for the lead of the race at the Italian GP in Monza. Verstappen’s aggression, however, led to his car launching in the air because of a sausage kerb.
To everyone’s shock, the car landed on the top of Hamilton’s W12, and the wheels grazed his neck. It was a scary moment, and the whole force of Verstappen’s Red Bull could have landed on Hamilton, had it not been for the Halo on his car.
