McLaren driver Jenson Button says Formula One must find a way to introduce cockpit canopies following the recent death of IndyCar's Justin Wilson.

Wilson sustained fatal head injuries after being struck by debris at Pocono Raceway two weeks ago, reigniting the debate over the safety of open-cockpit racing. The FIA has been investigating ways to offer more cockpit protection since 2009 when Henry Surtees was fatally injured by a loose wheel in F2 and Felipe Massa sustained head injuries from a flying spring at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Button, who raced against Wilson in go-karts during his early career, said the accident at Pocono had changed his opinion on the need to introduce more protection.

"It's very sad to see what happened and I think we're all pretty devastated by it. One, because you know the guy, you've raced against him in karting, raced against him in Formula One as well, but also because this just shouldn't happen at this time in motorsport.

"It's not the Seventies, we should know better. I was one of many drivers that said this is open cockpit racing and it should stay as open cockpit racing, but I think we've all had enough now.

"It's time to do something serious about it, not just changing the headrests on the cars and things, I think you've got to get a canopy on the car of some sort because we can't have this happening as much as it has over the last few years. Since Henry Surtees there's been a lot of head injuries that have ended up with death, so it's got to be changed."

One idea being considered by the FIA is a thin but strong halo of protective bodywork over the driver's head, which would be supported by a single stay in front of the cockpit and the bodywork behind it. But Button thinks a jet-fighter style canopy, which has obvious drawbacks if it jams or the car rolls, needs to be given serious consideration.

"A canopy I think works. Having blades around your head - obviously they're not supposed to break but from an unusual impact possibly they could, I don't know. I haven't actually done much thinking about it, but a canopy is probably the way to go.

"Obviously that takes time, I can't see it happening for next year in Formula One. I personally think it has to happen sooner rather than later and I think in IndyCar it has to happen because they seem to have a lot more issues than we do. Because of the speeds they're travelling as well and every accident there's debris because you can't get away from the banking when you crash. So I think it would be good if we could see canopies sooner rather than later."

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World champion Lewis Hamilton thinks closed cockpits should be considered, but admits it would feel strange from the driver's seat.

"It is a difficult one, I am torn," Hamilton said. "On one side I see closed cockpit as potentially the future, but growing up watching the sport and watching Ayrton's generation of racing, it has always been open cockpit. It is difficult to change minds, but sometimes change is the way forward. I don't know if I'd like it, it would feel strange if you had a canopy over your head but we have had too many fatalities.

"There are a lot less than 20 years ago, but there are still too many, we shouldn't have any. We have got to make changes to improve, not only F1 but the other classes. You look at young Surtees and in the GP3 race at Spa a car crashed and wheel came flying across the track and I'm thinking 'if that hits another driver...' Hopefully we won't have any more of that, but maybe it doesn't have to be closed, maybe it can be different mechanisms which I think people are exploring."

However, not all drivers in F1 are in agreement. Force India driver and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Nico Hulkenberg believes closed cockpits would change the DNA of single-seater racing.

"Obviously there are pros and cons, for me I see single-seater racing as open-cockpit," Hulkenberg added. "When we sign up for this year, we know there is some risk involved and that there could potentially be some danger. It's in the DNA of racing and motorsports. We shouldn't sterilise the whole thing and made it too clinical and over protect everything, that wouldn't be good for the sport and it might make things a bit more unattractive.

Although there is no rigid timeframe for the introduction of more cockpit protection, FIA safety delegate Charlie Whiting has made clear that the issue is high on the governing body's agenda.