Jenson Button believes Formula One’s controversial halo device would have helped Fernando Alonso in his spectacular crash.

The halo, which made its debut in pre-season testing, has attracted some criticism but is set to be introduced next season. It is a concept which has been designed to shield a driver’s head from flying debris but among its drawbacks is whether it would hinder a driver getting out of the cockpit.

Alonso, after hitting the wall and being catapulted airborne, landed upside down in his McLaren before crawling out of his car.

“He was upside down when he landed and if he had the halo it would have helped him,” Button, Alonso’s McLaren team-mate, said.

“There was no need for him to get out in that situation.

“There’s more safety risk of things hitting our head than anything happening when the car’s upside down.

“With the halo he would have had less impact on his helmet. It’s very unusual that there would be an issue with fuel spillage or anything like that. The halo is the right direction and we need it.”

After he careered into the back of Esteban Gutierrez at close to 200mph, Alonso was merely a passenger as he slammed into the wall before barrel-rolling through the air twice.

Coincidentally, two of F1’s other big crashes in recent times – involving Martin Brundle in 1996 and Jacques Villeneuve five years later – also occurred on the same bit of tarmac.