Vettel to test Shield on Friday

The prototype Shield cockpit protection device has broken cover at Silverstone ahead of its first track test on Friday.

The FIA announced during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend that the Shield would have its first track test during FP1 in Britain, with Ferrari named as the team that will run a prototype to test visibility. While a digital image of the device was released in Austria, it was only on Thursday at Silverstone that a physical Shield was first seen in public.

Sebastian Vettel will test the device, with the Shield already fitted to his car on Thursday and the German testing getting in and out of the cockpit in the Ferrari garage. His team-mate Kimi Raikkonen also showed an interest, checking visibility through the clear canopy.

Vettel is only expected to complete a short test at the start of FP1 on Friday before the Shield can be quickly removed to allow Ferrari to continue with its normal program. The FIA then plans on carrying out more extensive track testing at Monza in September before further runs later in the year to see how the device works in the wet and under lights in Singapore.

The Shield has emerged as the FIA's preferred alternative to the Halo, with the governing body having committed to introducing additional cockpit protection in 2018. The Halo was originally scheduled to be used in 2017 before it was delayed by a year in order to carry out further testing.

Despite the FIA's commitment, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes the Shield could face a similar fate and needs more development time before it is introduced.

"There's all kinds of issues concerning it," Horner said. "I am not sure it's been through the same amount of testing that the Halo did. I would rather get the job done properly for '19 than rushing some through for '18.

"Let's see. We are going to be relying on the feedback on one driver in one set of conditions.

When it was put to Horner that it would probably be wet in Britain, he replied: "It probably won't be, knowing Silverstone!

"Beautiful and sunny. It won't be dark, there won't be lights, there's won't be loads of oil, there won't be all of those factors. I am just concerned this is rushed through without all of the due diligence being done properly."