“The halo saved my life,” Hamilton says after crash at Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has said Formula 1’s ‘halo’ safety device saved his life in his crash at the Italian Grand Prix.

The 36-year-old seven-time world champion was hit by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, with the Dutchman’s car driving over Hamilton’s Mercedes.

The ‘halo’, a curved, reinforced bar in front of the driver’s head, protected Hamilton from a more severe impact.

“I feel very fortunate today,” said Hamilton. “Thank God for the halo which saved me, and saved my neck.”

The Briton added: “I am so grateful I am still here. I feel incredibly blessed that someone was watching over me today.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been hit on the head by a car before and it is quite a big shock for me.

“We are taking risks and it’s only when you experience something like that that you get the real shock of how you look at life and how fragile we all are.

“If you look at the images of the crash, my head is really quite far forward in the cockpit.”

Hamilton was initially sceptical about the introduction of the halo, calling it the “worst-looking modification” in the sport’s history.

The halo safety device, which is a titanium bar placed above the driver’s head, has been mandatory in Formula One since 2018.