F1 world now thankful for ‘Halo’ safety

Alex Peroni's car first hit Halo-first atop the wall before coming to rest

(GMM) The F1 world is rapidly adjusting to the sport's 'Halo' era.

The cockpit protection system was introduced last year amid great skepticism, but it has since proved its worth in a series of scary-looking incidents.

In the fatal Anthoine Hubert crash in F2 last weekend, another driver was struck on the Halo by debris at high speed.

Juan Manuel Correa, currently in a coma, slid to a halt with his destroyed car sliding along the track on the Halo.

And at Monza on Saturday, although he suffered a broken vertebrae in the horrifying airborne crash, Formula 3 driver Alex Peroni landed Halo-first on the barrier.

"He can probably thank the Halo for not being badly injured," former F1 driver Derek Warwick said.

Pierre Gasly agreed: "I don't even want to imagine how it would have turned out without the Halo."

A Speed Week headline noted that Peroni has "1000 guardian angels". But FIA president Jean Todt says the drivers can actually thank the sport's constant safety improvements.

"One victim is already too many," Todt told De Telegraaf at Monza. "And we have thousands of drivers.

"When we introduced the Halo, the critics said we didn't need it. Now they say we need it more than ever. As always, it's an emotional discussion.

"Motorsport is less dangerous than before, but it's still dangerous," the FIA president added.

Watch in Slow-Motion as the Halo impacts the top of wall