AUGUST 9, 2017

Legal issues forced Halo introduction

Mercedes backed the FIA into a corner over the issue of cockpit protection in F1.

That is the view of Red Bull chief Christian Horner, who is no advocate of the governing body's decision to mandate the controversial 'Halo' solution for 2018.

A debate is raging about whether 'Halo' is good or bad for F1, but Horner thinks it was Mercedes who backed the FIA into a corner.

"Mercedes came out with that concept (Halo) and it put the FIA in a difficult position," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

"If we have an accident now and we don't have Halo on the car, but it might have saved a life, then from a legal standpoint it will be difficult to argue why it wasn't there if it was available," he said.

"That's why we (Red Bull) developed the Aeroscreen -- to try to solve the problem more aesthetically than this 'flip flop'.

"The FIA is now in a corner with only the Halo and no other option.

"My concern is that every racing formula down to karts will have to have this thing -- where does it stop? I think that at a certain point, as a driver, you have to accept certain risks," Horner said.

(GMM)