Ferrari were the first to push the envelope when it came to rules regarding rear-view mirrors mounted on the Halo device, their system – featuring winglets – was deemed illegal and since then the FIA have clarified the conditions of the ruling.
Teams were informed ahead of the race weekend in Baku that mirrors could be attached to the Halo, soon after Ferrari showed up with mirrors dangling from the Halo, but above that they crafted winglets which have caused all the fuss.
Although F1 race director Charlie Whiting insisted that the system used by Ferrari would not be allowed from Monaco and beyond, the team ran the ‘winglet’ mirrors throughout the two days of testing this week.
Nevertheless, as the matter has hit a gray area of sorts, the FIA took action to address the confusion while clarifying the criteria for Halo mounted mirrors going forward.
In a memo to teams, the FIA stated:
“Whilst the FIA accepts that teams will legitimately design the mirrors, housings and mountings to minimise any negative aerodynamic effects they may cause, we believe that any aerodynamic benefits should be incidental, or at least minimal,” said the FIA in a statement.
“In order to ensure this is the case all mountings must:
- Provide a meaningful structural contribution to the mounting system. If you use more than one mounting you may be asked to satisfy us, by way of a physical test, to demonstrate this.
- Be mounted to the lower and/or inboard surface(s) of the mirror housing.
“As the criteria for determining the eligibility of a mounting are to some extent subjective, the FIA would be available to discuss the legality of a new design before you introduce it in a race, to avoid wasting resource, time or money.”
“The FIA expect to have full compliance with the present technical directive by the next race.”
Big Question: Is the matter of ‘winglet’ mirrors a storm in a teacup?