'Everyone will soon get used to the halo' - James Key

Toro Rosso technical chief James Key has predicted that 'everyone will soon get used to the halo' as criticism continues to surround the introduction of the device which is in place to protect drivers, even though fans and teams alike have lamented its look.

The 2018 season in Formula One will feature the device being used by every team in competitive action for the time. It consists of a frame which will surround the header of the driver, and is designed to block any potential falling debris on the track.

However, the decision has come under criticism as many figures in the sport not only think it is not aesthetically pleasing, but believe it hampers the vision of the driver.

Key thinks everyone will come around to accept the introduction, eventually.

"My gut feeling is it's something we'll just get used to," he told RACER magazine.

"There will be talk and all sorts of opinions I'm sure. All of them no doubt valid. But I think ultimately it's just something we'll get used to.

"We'll get back to worrying about the racing pretty quickly."

The halo has been used before in practice session, but it was a very rough design and this is the incarnation which has received the most negative response. Key has revealed that the look of the new device is different, though.

"I think with the aero bits on it then it will look slightly more Formula 1, let's say, than the frames we saw before," said the Toro Rosso chief.

"They will be a little bit more refined visually. Teams have had time to work a bit on optimizing the aerodynamics around them.

"We'll have to see how it goes," he summarised.

Key went on to reveal that trying to implement the halo on to their 2018 car generated a lot more work for his Toro Rosso team, but that the new design has now passed FIA requirements.

"It was certainly quite a new test and new set of requirements to take on board for chassis design," he said.

"Obviously everyone's a little nervous the first time you try it, but I'm glad to say it worked as planned. There's always some unknowns. There's no historic reference you can take with something as new and very different as the Halo tests compared to before.

"They're quite tough tests, as well. Clearly this has to be a very robust frame around the driver. That requires some quote heavy loading and tricky conditions applied to it to make sure it complies."