The tragic death earlier this year of Jules Bianchi has reignited an on-again, off-again discussion of whether Formula One cars should move to a closed-cockpit configuration. While it may seem a minor—or perhaps even obvious—decision, it is not without controversy. Looking over just the last 30 or so years of Formula One history, one can trace a disheartening string of tragic accidents, which could have been either mitigated, or avoided completely, by some type of head protection. In 1972, François…
— Access to the full article is limited to online subscribers only. Your subscription helps our team cover the best of the classic and vintage car world. A memberships lets you enjoy unlimited digital access to all our premium content —
