F1: Halo is ugly but will save lives - Vettel

Sebastian Vettel says it does not matter if Formula 1's halo head protection system looks ugly because the priority is to save drivers' lives. The German made his assessment after completing an installation lap with the device on Friday morning, a day after Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

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"I agree it doesn't look very nice," said Vettel. "It's not the picture you are used to seeing for F1. But if it helps increase the safety and helps save lives, there would be at least two drivers who would still be around – Henry Surtees and Justin Wilson – if we had this type of system.

"It can be ugly but nothing justifies not having these two guys around anymore."

Vettel echoed his teammate's optimism over visibility and said the design, which is a prototype produced by Ferrari, is likely to change.

"You can see what you need to see," he said. "We can improve the system in terms of aesthetics and how much is visibly in your way. I tested it as well in the simulator and I think we will see evolutions of it very soon."

Hamilton is hoping the system is optional if it is introduced.

"If it is going to come in I hope we have an option to use it or not, because I will not be using it," he declared, adding with a laugh: "I'm not having that on my car!

"When I get in the car I know there is a certain risk, and safety is a very, very important issue for sure," Hamilton added. "You have to decide how much of a risk you are going to take. I'd rather drive without it."

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VETTEL: F1 NOT BROKEN BUT IS CHAOTIC

"I don't think it is broken," he said. "In terms of the show, F1 is doing fine.

"The decisions lately, it is fair to say it is lacking leadership. It's a bit chaotic if a couple of weeks before the season, you start to re-invent certain rules and formats of qualifying as has been discussed in the last couple of weeks.

"I'm not a fan of the qualifying changes and speaking on behalf of all the drivers, no driver is. We don't get what is wrong with the old qualifying and why to change it.

"I can see the excitement for some people with the introduction of the element of randomness. But it's important for the sport to remain a sport so in the end the fastest driver comes out on top paired with the strongest team. That has been in the DNA of F1 forever.

"It is the wrong way to go and creates chaos, it creates criticism against us drivers and among the fans."

Originally on Autosport.com