F1
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1 6y

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff would remove Halo with chainsaw

Formula 1

SILVERSTONE, U.K. -- Mercedes boss Toto Wolff thinks Formula One must address the controversial look of the Halo cockpit device, one he says he would remove with a chainsaw. 

The Halo is the most significant and controversial regulation change in F1's recent history and has polarised opinions. One of the biggest criticisms has centred around how it looks on top an F1 car. 

Wolff says that aspect of the structure is hard to ignore. 

"I'm not impressed with the whole thing and if you give me a chainsaw I would take it off," he said at the launch of the team's W09 car. "I think we need to look after the driver's safety but what we have implemented is aesthetically not appealing. We need to come up with a solution that simply looks better.

"It's a massive weight on the top of the car, you screw up the centre of gravity massively. As much as it's impressive to look at the statistic that you could put a bus on top, this is a Formula 1 car."

Despite his reservations about the look of the device, Wolff understands why it was made mandatory for 2018.

Asked if he had any concerns about Halo creating unforeseen safety risks, including making extracting a driver from an overturned car more difficult, he said: "The FIA has thoroughly conducted all kinds of tests and possible scenarios and overall, the Halo makes it much more safer for the driver. Whether there are scenarios where a driver is trapped, probably these scenarios do exist, but overall it is safer with the halo than without the Halo."

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