What F1 can learn from a Niagara Falls stuntman
The halo continues to divide opinion, but any suggestions that teams and drivers should control whether it is used need to be shut down
Rulemaking in Formula 1 is best compared with tightrope walking across Niagara Falls. In 2012 high-wire artist Nik Wallenda drew a crowd of 125,000 that thrilled at his 600-yard crossing of the waterfall situated on the USA-Canadian border, with a billion television viewers cumulatively tuning in to watch the first successful crossing of the Falls.
Gaining permission entailed a two-year lobbying battle with officials on both sides of the Niagara River, with a one-time exemption to New York State's anti-stunting law - introduced after a host of daredevils died at the same spot - being granted on condition that Wallenda wore an approved safety belt. He described his legal battle as more daunting than the crossing itself, but it was a case of no belt, no go.
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