A new arrangement of lights on the grid due to the Halo

Great novelty of the 2018 season in F1, and still criticized, the Halo will force the FIA ​​to change the arrangement of the starting lights on the grid this year. From Melbourne this weekend, the traditional installation will be supplemented by lights on the left side of the track, while the usual second row will be moved closer to the first positions.

This arrangement will be tested tomorrow during free practice. “Normally we do not allow grid start tests due to the busy schedule, says race director Charlie Whiting in Australia. […] I thought it was a good idea to show the pilot these lights rather than seeing them for the first time on Sunday.

Because of the Halo, we have asked each circuit to place the lights at a standard height above the track. We also installed another game, here on the left, at the edge of the track.

Normally, the second row was halfway up the grille, since 2009, when the rear wings were raised. Some drivers complained about not being able to see the main lights, so we introduced additional ones. With the ailerons lowered, there is no need for the mid-grid ones, so I decided to use them elsewhere. »

Charlie Whiting further specifies that the first row of the grid seems to be the most hampered by the cockpit protection system. “Maybe the pilot can't quite see the lights, or only see half of them, and he might move his head too much. Now he has a series of lights that are five meters away. »