Engineers worried about late introduction of the Halo

A couple of Formula 1 engineers have admitted that they are a little concerned about the late introduction of the Halo, and how it might affect development on their 2018 cars. After the British Grand Prix, it was determined that the Halo would be brought in for next season, sparking an outcry from fans.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, the precise rules of the Halo will not be available until September. Force India's technical boss Andy Green admitted that was far too late: "That's too late. In terms of the monocoque, time is running out."

Force India's Chief Operating Officer Otmar Szafnauer said it was possible that the late announcement could delay Force India's 2018 car: "There is a finite amount of time that it takes to design and make a monocoque, and if we don’t get definition in that timeframe, all it does is it delays when it’s produced. Right now, it looks like we may not be able to produce it in time for testing."

Also speaking about the situation was Toro Rosso's James Key: "The centre of gravity is going up and the weight distribution moves towards the front. Also we have to stiffen the cockpit sides for the load tests, which means a different carbon structure in the corresponding places."

Fergal Walsh