Some of us probably know very well that F1 teams are currently busy preparing for 2016 season’s first race in Melbourne in a few weeks time. So there they are at Barcelona, doing important testing work that, to many, looks painfully boring.
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen undertook testing duties yesterday, doing 41 laps reportedly with a set-up programme to evaluate the three softest tyre compounds – Soft, Supersoft and Ultrasoft, using the latter to set his best time of 1.22.765.
But the day turned a bit more interesting when on his installation lap, Kimi debuted a prototype of the Halo system. This tubular carbon structure mounted over the cockpit is meant to improve driver safety following a series of high profile incidents which led to severe injuries, and even death. The halo system seems to be prefered, as the original idea of a closed cockpit never arrived to this level of application
But then again, F1 being F1 – and more importantly Ferrari being Ferrari – they probably see the Halo system being implemented and wants to be the first to get actual on-track data. After all, that contraption certainly looks to have potential as a major aerodynamic device
As for our thoughts on the Halo; well, we’re simple people. If Kimi likes it, we like it.
