Lowe thinks halo criticism will soon subside

Williams technical engineer Paddy Lowe believes that the conversation and criticism of the new halo safety device will soon decrease once the season is up and running, as people will realise that it is a necessary addition to protect the drivers during races.

The halo comes in the form of a frame which will surround the head of the driver, and although it is considered a step forward in health and safety, many have lamented its look and the decreased driver vision, with Max Verstappen even calling it 'very ugly.

Lowe thinks that people will soon just accept it, however, as soon as the second Grand Prix race of the campaign.

“I’ve been a big supporter of making some improvement in that area which is the biggest remaining risk in Formula One to the drivers,” he said, adding:

“I think by the second race nobody will notice it anymore.”

It has been four years since a driver died due to injuries sustained during a race, with Jules Bianchi tragically losing his life nine months following an accident when his car skidded into a tractor at the Japanese Grand Prix. Lowe thinks that F1 has been fortunate to not have more fatalities.

"We’ve had roughly once per year, for the last two years that I’ve been looking out, an event where you go ‘that really was lucky, someone got away with it there’,” he added.

“I think it would only be a matter of time before we weren’t saying somebody’s been lucky, but they were unlucky. So that’s a really good project.”