Open cockpit. As much as open wheels and a single seat, it defines the format of a Formula One racing car – always has, but will it always?
In recent years there’ve been calls to provide additional safety to grand prix racing drivers by at least partially enclosing the cockpits of their cars to protect them from debris and other intrusions.
There have been numerous proposals, but what you see here is the solution that the FIA is going with. Called “the shield,” it’s a polycarbonate (read: plastic) windscreen, aerodynamically swept and wrapping around the cockpit, to keep drivers safer without getting in the way – or enclose the cockpit completely, which would raise all sorts of ventilation issues to keep the drivers cool in what can often be punishing heat from the engine and environment.
Digitally represented as installed on the 2017 Williams FW40, the proposal has won out (at least for now) over the “halo” device that would have put a carbon-fiber frame over and around the cockpit, but a) looked really weird, and b) might have impeded visibility, which would inevitably lead to more crashes and defeat the whole purpose.
Though this is the idea the FIA has endorsed, it’s far from finalized just yet. It still has a lot of testing to do, starting with Ferrari which will test the shield (or “aeroscreen” as it’s previously been called) during the practice sessions at the British Grand Prix next weekend. The federation plans a full track test at Monza in September. If everything goes smoothly, this could be what every F1 car will look like within the next year or two. If not, it could be back to the halo design instead.
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