In a few fleeting moments, horrific memories of Romain Grosjean's incident in 2012 at this circuit, and even Robert Wickens IndyCar crash at Pocono last week, sprang to mind as Fernando Alonso's McLaren was launched into the air following contact with Nico Hulkenberg and clattered over the top of Charles Leclerc's Sauber.

As the young Monegasque, who had been hoping for a strong points finish, asked "come on, what the ****", though he was aware his car was out of the race, he didn't appear to know how close he had come to being seriously injured.

As the smoke and dust settled, and the wrecked cars were removed from the track as the safety car was deployed, it became obvious that thirteen races into the season the controversial Halo device had proved its worth.

Tyre marks on the bodywork and the halo itself were testament to the fact that the youngster had had a lucky escape.

"Never been a fan of the halo but I have to say that I was very happy to have it over my head today," tweeted the youngster shortly after.

"I don't know how it would have ended up without it, but looking at it, I'm happy it was there," he subsequently told reporters. "I've been lucky on this one. Looking at the halo, it's not looking good.

"I got quite a lot of messages," he admitted. "My mum called me quite a lot of times. Everyone was quite worried."

"The Halo was a very good thing to have today," said Fernando Alonso. "I think for him, it helped, looking at the replay."

"That gave all the justification," admitted Toto Wolff, who pre-season had admitted to wanting to take a chainsaw to the controversial device. "As you know, I am not a fan of the halo, I think the aesthetics are terrible. But having saved Charles from harm and injury makes it all worth it. It could have been very nasty. I'm happy that we have the halo."

"I think what is clear is the significant tyre marks on both the chassis and the halo," said Charlie Whiting. "It looks like it's had a fairly hefty whack.

"It doesn't take much imagination to think that the tyre marks would have actually been on Charles' head. It would be a bit of a miracle if they weren't, had the halo not been there."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by RDFox, 28/08/2018 15:55

"While I'm still not a fan of the Halo itself, I'd say that this accident is yet another one that proves the value of some sort of device to protect the driver's head from cockpit intrusion--whether this be in the form of the Halo, something akin to the Aeroscreen (as Indycar seems to be preparing to deploy soon), or even a fully enclosed canopy. My objections to the Halo are simply related to driver vision (weren't single rear view mirrors on a centerline stalk banned because of that?) and that it seems that FIA had decided they would use that approach before even beginning testing of their options.

That said, there is no solution that will provide 100% protection to the driver's head; even a full closed-cockpit car with a full roll cage, windshield, and roof can still fail in a crash and expose the head, as evidenced by what happened to low-level NASCAR competitor Russell Phillips in 1995. All one can do is keep trying to come up with better and better driver protection systems and not be afraid to replace an existing one should a better solution be developed..."

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 28/08/2018 11:15

"Interestingly Charlie Whitting has been quoted as saying that it's too soon to know if the Halo actually helped or not in this particular incident, in his words “it would be a little bit speculative”."

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3. Posted by MossMan, 28/08/2018 11:13

"@ F One: "Yes they do have to look good else what's the point?"

I hope you realise this makes you sound like a ten year old rather than a racing fan."

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4. Posted by Steve W, 28/08/2018 9:29

"Well, speaking for myself, I'm used to the halo now. Move on."

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5. Posted by GordonG47, 28/08/2018 9:00

"Frankly, I've stopped noticing the halo - it's just sorta 'there' like all the other weird bits on the cars."

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6. Posted by Insane Reindeer, 27/08/2018 16:34

"@F One. Umm, my sarcasm radar has never been very good so I can't tell if you are winding me up or not.

Why does it have to look good? It's a tool. A safety tool. Attached to a very expensive, relatively high tech tool. The larger tool has been built to a specific set of rules and has one "job". Not for the first time I wonder has there ever been an era when any F1 car has ever been anything other than a tool?

"

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7. Posted by F One, 27/08/2018 13:55

"Yes they do have to look good else what's the point? I don't care how fast the cars go if they're hideous and they currently are."

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8. Posted by Insane Reindeer, 27/08/2018 13:12

"I am happy that F1 cars have these "halos". I always have been. I don't give a monkey's left testicle what they look like or for that matter what it does it to the "look" of the car. They are just tools. Why do they have to "look good"?"

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9. Posted by SteveAikens, 27/08/2018 13:04

"I’ve already been pretty clear on my opinion of the halo.

Obviously – all of us that don’t like it – need to re-group and acknowledge its value.

It clearly prevented Lec from serious injury.

I still don’t like its’ looks, but I love its’ ability to save the drivers.
"

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10. Posted by CL, 27/08/2018 12:08

"Don’t know if this link will show, it was from Hartleys car. Alonso’s front wheel heading into the cockpit.

https://twitter.com/heigopoom/status/1034040130795913217?s=21"

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11. Posted by CL, 27/08/2018 12:03

"There’s a video from one of the cars that shows one of alonso’s wheels bounce off his own car and travel toward Le Clerc’s cockpit, straight at where the driver is. It bounces off the halo. I hate the carbuncle as much as you do, but am happy it was there yesterday as I look forward to watching ale Clerc have a long and fruitful F1 career."

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12. Posted by F One, 27/08/2018 11:54

"Cobblers. The trajectory of the car took it nowhere near his head. It came over his shoulder from behind and travelling forwards. It only hit the grotesque unwanted carbuncle because it was there!"

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