Massa downplays inherent danger argument in defense of halo protection
Felipe Massa has reiterated his support for the halo cockpit protection system - and says that he doesn't like the Red Bull concept, which features a windscreen.
Massa also had a dig at those drivers who have indicated their dislike for the halo.
“I'm a big supporter of safety,” said Massa. “If we can save a life, or if we can make an accident not hurt the drivers, then I am in favor. I don't think really we need to race in F1 just to risk your life, or to be in danger is nice for the people. I don't think it's really like that.
“That's why I am in favor of improving the safety. If it's the halo, if it's whatever that we need to do to improve that... I lost a friend in F1. I don't know if the halo would change anything for him, I don't think so, but I don't want to see these things happen again. If it can help, then I am in favor.
“I don't want to be the king, 'I don't need that, I want to race even without the helmet, I am the king.' I am not like that. I just want to make things better for the drivers and for the safety.”
Asked about how the halo would have helped in his 2009 accident in Hungary, when he was hit by a suspension component, he said: “I think if the spring hits something before it hits me, for sure I would have a lot less impact. The impact would be a lot smaller. It depends on which type of accident you have, you know.”
Meanwhile, Massa expressed doubts about the Red Bull concept, especially with regard to visibility.
“The pictures I saw of Red Bull with those two things on the side, which is where we are always looking, maybe the visibility will be even worse. And it looks like a buggy. If it's better for the safety and we need to use it, I agree, but I think we need to use things that are not affecting the visibility of the driver. Plus the window in front, how it's going to be with the cooling any many other things around, we need to understand how it's going to be as well.
“If we're not 100 percent sure what we're going to do, and the halo is something that will be safer, maybe they can change something after one or two years. It's important to have that improvement.”
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