Ferrari trial halo-mounted mirrors

Ferrari showed up at Barcelona with new wing mirror supports. Instead of the attachment to the chassis shoulders, the wing mirrors are linked to the halo. The team have meanwhile also added a winglet just above the mirror housing, perfectly shading the mirror itself when looking at the car from above.

It was only between the Chinese and Azerbaijan Grand Prix that the FIA announced that mirrors could also be attached to the halo. The Technical Directive was a response to the decreasing rearward visibility for drivers, especially since the aerodynamic regulation changes of 2017 that introduced wider and lower rear wings. It was felt that the increase of on-track incidents was the result of this, so more leeway way given to the designers.

However, as ever with opening up regulations, teams were quick to analyse how the change could be exploited to increase performance, and Ferrari was obviously quickest, being able to design, optimise and manufacture the winglet and new mounting in less than 4 weeks.

As the different mounting is unlikely to really offer a performance advantage, the new winglet may provide exactly this. It is clear from the shape that it aims to direct air downward, in line with the upper shape of the sidepods. This should eventually have a (minor) effect on the efficiency of the rear wing. The mirrors themselves remain unchanged and continue to feature the unique open housing