Featured Image Credit: Formula One
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1, Sport, Cars
Olivia Burke
An angel must have been watching over Sir Lewis Hamilton during the United States Grand Prix Sprint - as the halo on his car saved him from potentially sustaining a nasty injury.
The three-pronged tubular titanium structure surrounding the cockpit of his SF-25 expertly deflected a flying chunk of carbon fibre, which seemed destined to smash into him.
The near-miss was caught on Hamilton's onboard camera and shows just how close he came to copping a face full of debris.
The Ferrari driver, 40, was only on the first corner when chaos erupted as Oscar Piastri collided with Nico Hulkenberg.
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Their vehicles were subsequently shunted into those of Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris, and Hamilton then ended up caught in the crossfire as debris began flying from the cars.
The impact resulted in a chunk of carbon fibre flying through the air, which glided right towards the seven-time F1 world champion.
Video shows how the halo - a safety device credited with 'saving' countless Formula 1 stars from serious injuries - protected Hamilton from being struck.
It was made a mandatory addition to all F1 cars in 2018, and it is designed to withstand 15 times the static load of a Formula One car and a 20kg wheel travelling at 225 kph (140 mph), according to Racecar Engineering.
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Motorsport Magazine explains that halos act as a shield to deflect or absorb impact forces during accidents, and are typically made out of 'a titanium alloy known as Grade 5 6AL4V, which is an aerospace-grade material'.
"This allows the three-pronged tubular titanium structure to weigh only 7kg and yet still withstand the weight of two African elephants," it adds.
After watching the footage of Hamilton's close call at the Circuit of the Americas, F1 fans suggested that the halo had 'saved his life'.
One person took to social media to say: "That saved a potentially horrible accident."
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Another wrote: "Do we even comprehend what a big deal this is? It could have ended the career of a 7-time world champion. Thank goodness for the halo."
A third said: "Glad Lewis was okay from that. That could have knocked him out or seriously injured him."
And a fourth added: "Halo literally saving Hamilton."
After quickly regaining his composure, Hamilton ultimately finished in fourth place at the United States Grand Prix Sprint.
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Speaking to Sky Sports in the wake of the race, the Ferrari driver said of the crash that resulted in debris careering through the air: "I managed to avoid the drama at turn one, just.
"I didn't really position the car that well. I saw Alonso on the inside, so I went a bit to the right, and left the door open for Charles.
"Otherwise, the start was good. It was a shame that I couldn't get close enough to get into the top three."