Formula One is now evaluating a second version of the Halo cockpit protection device, Williams technical chief Pat Symonds has revealed.
F1 is moving towards a decision on which concept to adapt for 2017, with Ferrari's Halo and Red Bull's Aeroscreen originally thought to be the only candidates. Meetings are scheduled to take place during the Monaco Grand Prix in two weeks and Symonds says the new design will be on the agenda.
"There is going to be a TRM [Technical Regulations Meeting] in Monaco on Friday and Charlie [Whiting] assures us that we are going to know pretty well where we are by then," Symonds said ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. "There is a second Halo device now that is a bit different to the one that Ferrari ran here in the [winter] test. So we will see what Monaco brings."
The FIA has set a July 1 deadline to decide on which cockpit device to implement for next year. That means teams are effectively designing next year's cars -- which are due to look radically different under the new regulations -- without knowing which device will be on the car.
Symonds admits this is causing a headache from a design perspective.
"I think we have got an idea of what the effects [of a cockpit device] are - and they are quite dramatic. There are some things particularly like on centreline cooling that you simply won't be able to do any more because of the effect."