Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu thanked the halo for saving his life in the horror crash that marred the start of the British Grand Prix.
The 23-year-old’s car was flipped on its roof at the first turn of Sunday’s race after George Russell’s Mercedes made contact, having started slowly and been tapped from behind.
Skidding along the ground, Zhou’s car continued at pace across the gravel before skipping up off the gravel and over the tyre barrier, into the fence.
Zhou was left beached between the barriers and needed rescuing by marshals as the race was red-flagged.
I’m ok, all clear. Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages! pic.twitter.com/OylxoJC4M0
— 周冠宇 | Zhou Guanyu 🇨🇳 (@ZhouGuanyu24) July 3, 2022
After being taken away on a stretcher, he was brought to the medical centre for precautionary checks but was given the all-clear to return to the paddock before the end of the race having escaped serious harm.
For that, Zhou paid tribute to the halo device on top of his car which protected his head as his car skirted along the ground.
“I’m ok, all clear,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages!”
Carlos Sainz claimed victory in the dramatic race as Lewis Hamilton had to settle for third in front of the Silverstone fans.
