F1 sets July deadline to choose cockpit halo or aeroscreen for 2017

Red Bull's aeroscreen and the halo device run by Ferrari in pre-season testing are both under consideration.

FIA race director Charlie Whiting said the target was to have everything sorted "to the point that the teams can design their chassis" by July 1 given the sweeping changes to the 2017 aerodynamic regulations.

"It would be unreasonable if we didn't have a clear path by that time," he said.

"It's only a small part of the chassis and it's not going to affect things like fuel volume and those big things but it's still part of a complex design process.

"There are different load cases for each design because the halo has a central mounting and the aeroscreen has two on the sides with nothing in the middle."

Whiting confirmed only one concept will be implemented.

"Everyone feels that is the right way to go," he said.

"Certainly in the case of the aeroscreen, the screen itself will be made by one company - the one that supplied Red Bull - and it will probably be required to supply everybody with exactly the same screen.

"The structure itself, we don't know yet.

"Most teams would like to have a single design, whether that is a single source supply or whether it is a design like side impact structures, where the design and lay up are all part of the technical regulations and the teams make their own to that precise design."

He said if both concepts "reach the same level" then "it will be up to the F1 Commission to decide which way to go".

The next phase of FIA testing of the concept will focus on "free head volume".

Whiting explained: "That is the space that has to be free to give movement for the driver's head in order that it doesn't make contact with it.

"At the moment it's quite big and is causing a few problems, so what we are doing is some sledwork with a dummy to try to simulate more precisely just how much room you need in order to make sure that the driver's head doesn't make contact with it - as they are both substantial structures.

"That is the next phase of work, which I am told should be completed within two weeks."

Whiting expects Red Bull to test its aeroscreen in practice again in Spain and Monaco.

"This time we hope they will have found or sourced, and they are optimistic they can, some anti-glare coating for the inside," he said.

"It's quite difficult where you have tall buildings, trees, low sun, those sorts of effects, that you will probably get in Monaco and Monza, where there are natural features.

"And also a coating for the outside that will repel rain and prevent things sticking to it. But there are no such problems with the halo."

Whiting added the FIA would have no problem with Ferrari and Mercedes carrying out more testing on the halo device at future races should they request to do so.