Agents Of Shield

The latest F1 cockpit protection device was aired in practice at the British GP – but a disappointing test, and lack of time, has now resulted in a decision to go with the Halo in 2018

- Sam Collins

Before the British Grand Prix, the latest in a line of experimental cockpit safety systems was trialled on a Ferrari SF70H during free practice. Dubbed the Shield, the device is designed to protect a driver’s head from flying debris, such as that which killed Henry Surtees in F2 in 2009 and Justin Wilson in IndyCar in 2015.

The new device was developed following the mixed response to the steel Halo device trialled in 2016, and also the Aeroscreen tested by Red Bull. Early this year it was announced that a cockpit protection system would definitely be introduced for the 2018 season and for a while Shield looked like the best solution. But, since the test, F1 has now opted for Halo.

Shield revealed

Silverstone was the first chance for most of the paddock, the media and indeed the public to see the Shield, which when revealed did not look nearly as sleek as the concept renderings circulated when it was announced. However, the design did seem to get a generally positive response in terms of its aesthetics.

Made up of an as yet undisclosed polymeric material from the polycarbonate family, the prototype weighed in at around 4kg, with another 2kg for its mounting plate. Four variants of the Shield have been developed, two different shapes with two different thicknesses available for each. The version used at its Silverstone test was the thinner of the two, the thicker version weighs an additional 2kg.

Dizzy spell

One of the reasons for the two different thicknesses was that the Shield had yet to be subjected to all of the impact tests, which have previously involved a complete 20kg wheel and tyre assembly being fired at the cockpit protection device at 225kph.