A big controversy is brewing over Formula 1's cockpit protection concept Halo, after the teams and FIA agreed to delay its introduction until 2018.

It has infuriated GPDA president Alex Wurz, after F1 race director Charlie Whiting announced that the system needs more testing and development time.

"Just one week ago the FIA safety experts presented this solution as the most researched safety device ever and said that it is ready to go, so maybe we have a communication problem between here and there," he is quoted as saying by the Morning Star.

"I am surprised by the decision and I dearly hope it is not one that one day we will all come to bitterly regret."

The issue has also split the drivers, with the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button having strongly criticised Jolyon Palmer for suggesting that Halo is not almost universally liked among the driver camp.

"If you ask the drivers, there's still a large number that are against it," said Palmer. "I'm not lying."

One suggestion, however, is that Halo was delayed because retractable technology that could do the same job but not visually change the 'DNA' of F1 could be just down the road.

F1 race director Whiting played down those claims.

"I think it would be wholly impractical, personally," he said.

"I think it is better to continue down that path (Halo) and not try to do something completely new that might need another three years of development."

The 2016 championship continues this weekend with the German Grand Prix.