Formula One F1 – British Grand Prix – Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain – July 3, 2022 Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou crashes out at the start of the race REUTERS/Molly Darlington
SILVERSTONE, England – Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou said Formula One’s halo head protection system had saved him after his crushed car was wedged sideways between a tire wall and metal fence at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.
The race was halted after the multi-car opening-lap collision.
“I’m OK, all clear,” Zhou said on Twitter after a trip to the medical center. “Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages.”
I’m ok, all clear. Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages! pic.twitter.com/OylxoJC4M0
— 周冠宇 | Zhou Guanyu 🇨🇳 (@ZhouGuanyu24) July 3, 2022
The titanium halo was introduced by Formula One in 2018, initially to some resistance from drivers who disliked the look of the protective ring around what had previously been a completely open cockpit.
It has since been credited with saving a number of lives in serious incidents.
Emergency crews were quickly on the scene to extract the rookie, whose car skidded upside down along the track at speed before bouncing across gravel and flipping over the impact-absorbing trie wall.
Photographs showed it crumpled on its side, leaning at an angle in the space between the fence and barrier with the halo protecting the driver’s helmet.
Today was a reminder that F1 remains a high-speed, high-risk sport that is always right on the edge.
We are so thankful to the advances in safety that mean both Zhou Guanyu and Alex Albon are safe and well. pic.twitter.com/BJ8PPDG2av
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 3, 2022
It was the second time on Sunday that the halo had saved a driver from serious injury, and probably worse.
Roy Nissany was protected by it when Norwegian Dennis Hauger’s car flew and landed on the Israeli Formula Two driver’s halo during a morning race.
Williams driver Alexander Albon was also caught up in the grand prix carnage and flown to a hospital in Coventry by helicopter for precautionary checks.
Mercedes’s George Russell got out of his stricken car and ran across to check on Zhou.
The Briton appeared to have been clipped from behind by AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly, the Mercedes’ tire then making contact with the Alfa.
“I got swamped by other cars and next thing I know I got touched, I was in the side of Zhou and that was it,” said Russell.
Television replays of the crash were not broadcast until it was clear Zhou had been removed safely and was conscious.