Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Recommended for you

Breaking news

Perez "uncomfortable" with Halo extraction times

Sergio Perez admits he feels "uncomfortable" about the increased time it takes to get our of his car with the Halo protection device fitted.

Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 with the Halo cockpit cover
Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 with the Halo cockpit cover
Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 with the Halo cockpit cover
Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-31 with the Halo cockpit cover
Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-31 with the Halo cockpit cover
Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 with the Halo cockpit cover
Sergio Perez, Sahara Force India F1 VJM09 with the Halo cockpit cover

The Mexican was one of three drivers to try the device for the first time today alongside Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's Jenson Button.

While Perez said he had no problems with the visibility, he conceded that the time it took him to get out of the car was a concern.

"Visibility-wise it was quite good I must say," said Perez, who carried out an extraction test on Thursday. "But my concern is how slow you get out of the car.

"It takes a good five seconds more than without the Halo. So it is something that makes me feel a bit uncomfortable - knowing that I need more time to get out of the car than without it.

"I still think there is more work to be done. For example, in that area to try to get us drivers out as quick as possible compared to the non-Halo getting out of car."

He added: "You are sitting in a car and you know that it is going to take you five seconds longer already than without the Halo. If you are in a critical situation, five seconds can be a lot."

Button, meanwhile, said he had "no major issues" with Halo, but admitted it felt weird to drive with it.

"It was okay. No major issues with it," he said. "I think just the start lights and the pitstops could be a little more difficult to see the lights.

"But there's so many possibilities of moving stuff around and what have you.

"It's a little bit strange, especially if you're doing 200 miles an hour and you're trying to focus on the corner, you're focusing on the thing that's dead in front of your eyes so you're going a little bit cross-eyed."

Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble

Previous article Italian GP: Friday's press conference
Next article Italian GP: Top 10 quotes after FP2

Top Comments

Latest news