Formula 1 is no doubt a dangerous sport, but plenty of steps have been taken over the years to improve driver safety.
One of those measures has been the introduction of the Halo, a protective barrier that has unquestionably saved lives and prevented serious injury.
The Sporting News takes a closer look at the important safety measure.
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When was the Halo added to F1?
Cockpit protection was put in the spotlight after Jules Bianchi's 2014 crash and subsequent death.
After years of research and development, the Halo was introduced to F1 in 2018.
While it was implemented for safety reasons, there were still plenty of critics.
There were some concerns it could impede a driver's vision, while others argued it went against the "DNA" of single-seater racing or simply claimed it was an eyesore.
The same year, the Halo became compulsory in feeder series including F2, F3 and F4, as well as the FIA-sanctioned Formula E championship.
The device is also used in other motorsport series around the world, such as IndyCar in the United States, Super Formula in Japan and S5000 in Australia.
What is the Halo made of?
The Halo is a curved bar, which is placed above a driver's head in the cockpit.
It is connected to the car at three different points and weighs roughly 9kgs (20lbs).
To withstand significant force, it is made of aerospace-grade titanium.
The Halo is manufactured exclusively by FIA-selected manufacturers, not the teams themselves.
Why is the Halo important?
The Halo not only provides an extra level of protection for collisions but also acts as a barrier for any flying objects.
In tests performed by the FIA before the device's introduction, it was determined it increased the chances of surviving a crash by 17 per cent.
The importance of the Halo has been evident in the past few F1 seasons, too.
It almost certainly saved Romain Grosjean's life in 2020, when he slammed into the barriers in Bahrain before his car burst into flames.
"So happy that the Halo was introduced, that we have this thing on the car, because without that surely it would have been very different," teammate Kevin Magnussen said after the crash.
In 2021, Lewis Hamilton was protected by the Halo when Max Verstappen's car hopped over his Mercedes in a dramatic crash.
"Thank God for the Halo, that ultimately, I think, saved me, and saved my neck," the seven-time world champion said.
The most recent example of the Halo's value was Zhou Guanyu's high-speed impact on the opening lap at the 2023 British Grand Prix.
"It (the Halo) saved my life last year and it has saved several drivers' lives recently," the Chinese driver said.
"Whilst we weren’t always supportive of it initially because of how it looked, I remember him (former FIA race director Charlie Whiting) telling us it was a 17 per cent improvement in safety and we could not ignore that."