Indycar says no to F1’s ’Halo’

Indycar, the major American open-wheeler series, says it will not be going down F1’s route of the ’Halo’ device for cockpit protection.

In 2015, former F1 driver Justin Wilson was killed by a flying wheel during an Indycar race, which was one factor that powered F1’s push to develop the Halo.

’Halo’ is now ready to be debuted, the safety chief of F1’s governing body, the FIA, confirmed.

"From a technical point of view, the Halo is now complete," Germany’s Sport Bild quotes Laurent Mekies as saying.

However, he said "talks" between the teams, drivers and FIA are still ongoing about what route F1 should take with regards to its introduction.

But Indycar is not open to the same kind of talks.

"We don’t see that - the Halo - having any possibility for us," said Mark Miles, CEO of Indycar’s parent company.

"We have banked tracks and you can’t see out of the car with that. But we are very interested in developing driver head protection and continue to work hard," he added.

"We are more likely to introduce a limited windscreen rather than that Halo."

Indeed, the idea of a windscreen or cover is also "not dead" in formula one, the FIA’s Mekies insists.

"Technically it is possible," he said.

"We are currently waiting for the final decision about Halo, and whether they want the cockpit cover or something in between which is more aesthetically appealing."