Why don't F1 cars use closed cockpits? Let's cast our minds back to when F1 first announced they were introducing the halo. That really was a debate worthy time wasn't it? You had a ton of people that hated the idea, some people that wanted it changed and very few loved it. Hi there, welcome to the incredible world. I remember the first T-cam on board I saw and my immediate reaction was basketball hoop. Now obviously we all unanimously agree that the halo has been one of the best decisions F1 has ever made. It was protected drivers from potentially fatal crashes, from Charlotte Claire in SPAR 2018 to Roman Grozion in Bahrain last year. But why did F1 go with the halo design when there were other alternatives out there? Firstly I think it's important to address that this wasn't just a quick decision by the FIA. The idea of a cockpit protection device has been in discussion for years and years around motorsport. Especially in championships like F1 and Indycar. Back in 2011 F1 engineers tested out the idea of a fighter jet canopy with help from the FIA. When this idea was initially tested the most recent example of a driver suffering severe head trauma from flying debris in Formula 1 was Felipe Massa. Massa was hit by a spring that had come loose from the car of Rubens Barrakello during a freak accident in qualifying for the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix. Even in 2009 during conversations about closed cockpits a lot of questions were raised. Could a driver extract themselves? Would the structure be strong enough? What would happen in the event of a fire? Could the structure collapse on the driver and would this stop a marshal from removing someone? Fast forward to 2011 and the FIA ran two tests to explore the options available for a closed cockpit. The first test involved a polycarbonate windscreen with a second experiment using a fighter jet canopy made from an aerospace spec polycarbonate both pretty intense and robust materials. During the tests a precise setup was used to fire a typical F1 tire into the structure's path at an exact speed of 140 mph which is around 225 km an hour. Both tests gave the FIA a central feedback with the windscreen sustaining significant damage during the test despite managing to deflect the tire above where the driver would be located. However the fighter jet canopy passed with flying colours managing to bounce the tire away from the driver and with minimal damage to the screen itself. Work continued the following year on alternatives with similar experiments being carried out with a roll hoop design comparable to today's halo. However when this new roll hoop structure was presented to F1's strategy group in 2013 the idea was criticised for being too ugly and the project was terminated. One year later F1 would experience one of its darkest days after the catastrophic loss of Jules Bianchi. Although an investigation decided a closed cockpit design wouldn't have saved the young drivers life during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix there was no doubt that opinions were changed about the necessity for closed cockpits and preventing further accidents down the line. Just weeks after Bianchi passed away Indycastar Justin Wilson was killed after a piece of debris made contact with his helmet during the 2015 ABC Supply 500. There was now a real sense of importance and urgency from the motorsport community that something needed to be done. The following year the first halo device was tested on an F1 car at pre-season testing. It was initially rejected for use during the 2017 season with teams and drivers concerned over the visibility. But from 2018 changes were made and the halo became mandatory. However Red Bull technologies also helped create a windscreen of sorts in 2016. Similar to the fighter jet canopy that the FIA tested five years prior, that was never accepted by F1. Why? Well it certainly wasn't because the cockpit protection device was deemed unsafe. In fact Indycast partnered with Red Bull on this design in 2020 and now use it in their championship to keep their drivers protected during average speeds of 157 mph, 252 km at events like the Indy 500. The closed cockpit device that Indycastar now uses is almost a hybrid between a canopy and the halo. You can see from images that behind the thick transparent polycarbonate canopy is a strong titanium halo. A design like this will repel the smaller debris thanks to the windshield and be strong enough to reflect larger parts like springs or tires. Overall the structure can withstand over 15 tonnes of force. The original aeroscream prototype that was tested during Fp1 at such a in 2016 did not have the additional support of the halo behind it. In fact when a digital reenactment of the 2018 Belgian Grand Prix start crash involving a Lonzo Manlaclare was created using a similar aeroscream design, it was decided that such a device would only offer 10% of the protection that the halo offered Le Clare. Indycast solution wasn't as easy as plonking a fighter jet screen over their cars though, far from it. There was one big problem, cooling. As you would imagine driving at such high speeds will result in you feeling the wind and breeze rushing past you. However once you chuck a screen in the way any fresh air will be sent right over your head. The result feeling like you're in a sauna rather than a race seat. It's not just the driver's head that needs cooling either, the torsum and legs are also vital to keep suitable temperatures throughout a race. When testing out alternatives at races last year, a nostril design was used giving air to the driver's feet and legs. Furthermore Indycast created another system that picks up air and pushes it through a hose into the driver's helmet. Indycast has also allowed teams to modify the canopy with cooling ducts on both sides of the screen. At least one of these ducts must go to the driver's helmet, with the other being able to send cool air to wherever the team chooses. The screen can also be fitted or removed in 15 minutes to help recover a driver behind the wheel or just for basic maintenance. So where does F1 go from here? Both designs are suitable for their chosen championship. In terms of overall protection, you could argue that Indycast is the safe for cockpit option of the two, although a decision on the optimal way to improve cooling has not yet been decided. For now, F1 must continue with its halo design. With the 2022 regulations coming into effect next year, the second generation of cockpit protection design will follow. A better integrated halo looks to be implemented, with the structure looking sleeker and at home on the car compared to the first design. Could we see an arrow screen in the future? Absolutely. F1 is always looking for ways to improve itself, and with the introduction of a new CEO, Stefano Domenicale, a screen could be a strong possibility in the next decade or so. For now though, both championships and their governing bodies will continue to work together and share data to help make our sport a safer place. F1 and the FIA currently relate any data and findings on the halo with Indycast and F1's versa.