Should F1 move to closed cockpits? Alonso thinks it's worth further study [w/poll]

Filed under: Motorsports, Safety

The deaths of Ayrton Senna and Dale Earnhardt revolutionized safety in top-flight motorsports. And while we continue to mourn their passing, the truth is that the safety changes made after their deaths have saved lives. Now, Jules Bianchi's severe head injury is reigniting the safety controversy in Formula One.

In particular, concerns over moving F1 to a closed-cockpit format are being reanalyzed, with some, such as Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, arguing that the idea needs to be revisited in light of the Bianchi incident. According to Autosport, F1 abandoned the idea because the teams were worried about how the cars would look (which is basically like a kid whining he doesn't want to wear a helmet while on his bike because it makes him look like a dork).

"I probably tend to agree we should at least check and try or test the idea," Alonso told Autosport. "We are in 2014, we have the technology, we have airplanes and many other examples used in a successful way, so why not to think about it?"

"All the biggest accidents in motorsport in the last couple of years have been head injuries so it's probably one of the parts where we are not on the top of the safety," the Spaniard added.

"I totally agree with Fernando - it would be interesting to try to work on that possibility. Definitely for my accident," Williams' Felipe Massa told Autosport, who was seriously injured when he was hit by an errant spring in 2009, "it would have been perfect. For Jules, I don't know."

What are your thoughts? Should F1 go to a closed-cockpit format? Head down to our straw poll and register your vote.

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Should F1 move to closed cockpits? Alonso thinks it's worth further study [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Oct 2014 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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