Sebastian Vettel: 'It doesn't look very nice but if it helps increase the safety and helps save lives, there would be at least two drivers who would still be around 

Sebastian Vettel cited the deaths of two British drivers as the clincher for Formula One ending its historical designation as a fully open-cockpit sport.

The four-time world champion spoke after trying out the 'halo' protection system — a carbon fibre guard fitted around the driver's head. Traditionalists including Lewis Hamilton, who called it the 'worst' modification ever in Formula One, see it as being against the spirit of daring. And even some of the halo's supporters admit it looks ugly.

'I agree it doesn't look very nice,' said Vettel after driving with it on his Ferrari during testing in Barcelona on Friday. 'It's not the picture you are used to seeing for F1.

Sebastian Vettel drives a car sporting a prototype protective cage over the cockpit

The four-time champion tried the 'halo' cockpit protection device during the 2016 pre-season testings

'But if it helps increase the safety and helps save lives, there would be at least two drivers who would still be around — Henry Surtees and Justin Wilson — if we had this type of system.

'It can be ugly but nothing justifies not having these two guys around anymore.'

Surtees, son of motor racing legend John Surtees, died aged 18 at Brands Hatch in a Formula Two race seven years ago. A wheel that had become detached from the car of a rival bounced across the track and hit him on the head.

While it is true that the halo would have protected Surtees, the wheel becoming untethered was another reason for the fatality. IndyCar driver Wilson died at Pocono Raceway in America last August when a nose cone from a car that had crashed hit the 37-year-old in the helmet.

Vettel was not overly keen on the new modification and said that it doesn't look very nice

The carbon fibre guard which goes around the driver's head has been slammed by Lewis Hamilton

A number of drivers, including last season's world championship runner-up Nico Rosberg and McLaren's experienced line-up of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, agreed with Vettel that the halo represented a step in the right direction. But Hamilton was withering in his criticism, writing on Instagram: 'Please no! This is the worst looking mod(ification) in Formula One history.

'I appreciate the quest for safety but this is Formula One, and the way it is now is perfectly fine.' Hamilton, who starts his title defence in Melbourne on March 20, added: 'I'm not having that on my car! I love this sport and F1 cars are unique. They have lost the cool look they used to have in the 1980s and 1990s and this part is just too drastic.

Current world champion Lewis Hamilton took to Instagram to point out his disdain for the safety measure

Vettel (R) of Ferrari signs autographs during testing in Barcelona on Friday

'It is not F1 for me. If they do implement it, I hope we have the choice of whether we use it or not. When I get in the car I know there is a certain risk, and safety is a very, very important issue for sure. You have to decide how much of a risk you are going to take. I'd rather drive without (the halo).'

There has been agreement among F1's teams to introduce some sort of halo for the 2017 season. The exact concept is yet to be finalised, though it is unlikely Hamilton will get his wish to choose whether to have it fitted to his Mercedes given the exact restrictions on the weights and specifications of cars.

Vettel's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen first tried out the Ferrari-produced prototype on Thursday, and both thought visibility was OK, despite one strut of the halo being in the middle of the car. 'You can see what you need to see,' said Vettel. 'We can improve the system in terms of aesthetics and how much is visibly in your way.

'I tested it in the simulator as well and I think we will see evolutions of it very soon.'

The halo design has a hinged lock mechanism so that it can be removed easily.

Ferrari's version follows a study by Mercedes. Videos of early testing showed three possible designs: a windshield, a titanium roll hoop and a full jetfighter-style canopy.

Calls for head protection have intensified since Felipe Massa was hit by a spring in 2009, causing an injury so serious that it nearly killed him.