Valtteri Bottas has revealed he successfully completed a full race-style scenario in the Mercedes simulator without any problems caused by the Halo.
The Finn was at Brackley driving a virtual W09 ahead of pre-season testing which begins in Barcelona in a week's time, with the car itself to be launched on Thursday.
During that session, Bottas would replicate a race start, with some concerned the cockpit device could obscure vision of starting lights and pit-stops, where Fernando Alonso suggested the procedures may need to be altered.
"I’ve done a race simulation already with the Halo, and I have to say during the race I never noticed it anymore,” the Mercedes driver told The Flying Lap. “Once you get used to it it’s there and you get used to it, I think that’s going to be the same for the spectators.
"Initially, it’s something new, it looks different – some people say it’s not nice at all but I think it’s only a matter of time everyone will get used to it, and if it can avoid even one injury it’s a good device."
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Following the launch of two cars late last week, Inside Racing conducted a poll via Facebook to ask if visual concerns due to Halo had been eased with the first designs with 68% voting 'no'.
One 2018 car revealed was the Williams and technical director Paddy Lowe admits he is frustrated that the argument over its look is overshadowing the main purpose.
“It’s all in a good direction and positive for the safety of the sport,” he told ESPN. “It’s been, for me, the remaining major risk in the sport and one that hopefully we’ve largely closed off.
“The only objection we’ve had is one of aesthetics, which frankly has been a bit frustrating. None of us would want to be in teams where there has been a casualty. I think this device will solve that problem.
“Therefore, while we may work in due course on the aesthetics, I don’t see there will be a great urgency to radically change what we have.”
