Born out of the tragic circumstances which claimed the lives of Jules Bianchi and Henry Surtees, the Halo system is undoubtedly the most controversial piece of equipment to adorn the newest breed of Formula 1 car. It’s also the latest development in cockpit safety that promises to protect what little of the driver is still exposed to the elements. After Senna’s death in ’94, sidepods and head restraints grew and effectively buried the driver deeper in the car. Those, as well as the aforementioned casualties and Felipe Massa’s spring to the head in 2009, spawned a number of prototype canopies, visors, and protective assemblies. The halo is the first of these used outside a testing scenario.

Similarly, IndyCar has devised its own form of driver protection this year, and some are expressing admiration for it. The visor fitted to the newest Dallara IW-12’s relatively simple cockpit hasn’t quite stirred up commotion the way the halo has—in fact, some feel it’s a step in the right direction. After the senseless death of Justin Wilson in 2015, it’s clear that the IndyCar drivers could be better protected, especially the taller ones. Wilson was 6’4″.

The Designs and the Limitations

Three manufacturers make the halo, and teams can buy as many they want for roughly $18,000 apiece. The basic halo can be modified somewhat to suit an individual car, because teams are allowed to design their own carbon fairing to mitigate the aerodynamic losses caused by this device. As it needs to be strong enough to support the weight of a double-decker bus, the reinforced titanium is also quite heavy at roughly thirty-four pounds. This makes life more challenging for the heavier drivers, who will have to watch their weight even closer.

The other concern with the halo is the impact it could have on driver visibility. Though Daniel Ricciardo claims “once you’re in,you don’t notice it,” it’s still an uncertainty on tracks with lots of change in elevation.

This is also a concern for IndyCar’s new visor, though some onboard footage suggests otherwise. However, the only conclusive testing has been done on ovals, where the driver looks further ahead and less to the left or the right as they would on a road course.

The IndyCar visor is designed by PPG Aerospace and is made from the same Opticor advanced-transparency material used to make jet fighter canopies. It is 0.4″ thick and is angled at twenty-five degrees, apparently producing no visual distortion—and reduces buffeting. The visor limits driver cooling, but that’s not its main problem.

On ovals, where the driver looks further ahead, the design should be less of an issue. However, the limited visibility around the peripheral areas of the visor—where it joins the bodywork—doesn’t help on road courses; the driver’s neck needs to crane left and right to see clearly. Impairment of visibility is the main concern of former CART/IndyCar driver Dominic Dobson, though he is not vehemently against it. “It’s like any step forward in safety; it’s going to be unpopular,” he says. “I bet people felt the same way about full-faced helmets way back when.”

The Psychological Impact

There are several reasons for the difference in opinion. Not only does the unsightly halo resemble a thong sandal strapped atop the cockpit, but it further obscures the audience’s view of the driver. Though this improves safety and, apparently, does not limit the driver’s view of the circuit, it does pose a problem for the sport’s image.

As so much of the canonization of the drivers in F1 and IndyCar is due to their helmet protruding proudly from the cockpit and the bond that creates between driver and fan, it’s a step away from that special cachet exclusive to these two categories. Think of how drivers in IndyCar and Formula 1 reside at a higher position in the motorsports hierarchy and why that is. It’s not just the superior speeds and the exotic atmosphere that sets these top-tier single-seater categories apart from the best of, say, sports car racing.

As most sports prototypes use closed cockpits these days, from the viewers’ eyes, they seem to be unfeeling machines driving themselves. Keep in mind how professional drivers’ speech is more controlled in this tip-toeing era, and they only truly express themselves through a balled fist, a waving hand, a flash of countersteer, or a waved middle finger. Because we get a glimpse of the effort involved in single seats, we see people driving demanding cars. We feel their emotions as best as an observer can. No longer are the fans looking at a sophisticated machine—they’re witnessing a flesh-and-blood human controlling that bloodthirsty monster, and this allows the fans to empathize with the racing driver. What impact will these devices have on their respective series?