IndyCar to debut as cockpit protection at Indianapolis 500 – IndyCar Racing

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – IndyCar will demand that its cars be equipped with a titanium debris deflector on the cockpit, starting with the Indianapolis 500.

The device dubbed "Advanced Frontal Protection" will be showcased during a test session on April 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It will officially debut when practice will begin next month for the Indianapolis 500 and should be used for the remainder of the season.

The titanium piece 3 inches tall and 0.750 inches wide replaces the windshield unit tested last year. The piece is manufactured by Dallara and is designed to divert debris from the driver. It will be positioned in front of the cockpit, along the axis of the chassis.

Justin Wilson was killed in 2015 when a debris from another car hit him in the head. IndyCar has been paying close attention to cockpit protection since Dan Wheldon's fatal crash in 2011, but advanced technology has made AFP practical to use this season.

The governing body of motorsport, the FIA, made mandatory the protection device of the head "halo" in Formula 1 last year.

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