Lewis Hamilton says he would not use the Halo device if it is not made mandatory by the FIA in future seasons.

Ferrari has been trialling its version of the Halo device during the final pre-season test in Barcelona, with Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel both completing an installation lap each to check the visibility with the cockpit protection. Hamilton took to Instagram on Thursday night call it the “worst looking mod”, pleading for it not to be introduced.

Asked after his final morning of testing if he expects the FIA to move ahead with plans to bring the Halo device in, Hamilton replied: “Like in what I said [on Instagram] I really, really hope not.

“If it is going to come in I hope that we have an option to use it or not because I will not be using it on my car!”

Explaining his thoughts in more detail, Hamilton argues the device is designed to protect the driver in the car, so each driver should be allowed the choice of whether to use it or not.

“I hope that’s not what they’re bringing, I really do. Ultimately it’s the driver’s protection so we should have a choice individually, I should be able to decide whether to have to put that on my car, because it wouldn’t be something that I would choose.

“I like it the way it is now. When I get in the car I know there is a certain risk. Safety is a very, very important issue for sure but there are risks that we take and you have to decide how much of a risk you are going to take and for me I would rather drive without it and risk it.”

Follow live coverage and timing from pre-season testing here

GALLERY: Pre-season testing

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