FIA tells Ferrari it can't run halo mirror winglets after Spanish GP
Ferrari's halo 'winglets' are set to disappear before the Monaco Grand Prix following a disagreement over interpretation between the FIA and the Italian team
Ferrari has insisted that the primary purpose of the winglets is as part of the mounting system for the mirrors, which it has mounted on the halo for the first time this weekend, after the FIA gave permission in a recent technical directive.
However, several rival teams have questioned the legality of the overall Ferrari design, which incorporates the winglets.
Ferrari has been informed by the FIA that the winglet above the mirrors will not be permitted from the next race, although they will be allowed to run them for the rest of the weekend.
After seeing the Ferrari design on Thursday FIA single-seater boss Nikolas Tombazis made it clear that teams will always seek an aero advantage, especially where mirrors are concerned.
"Mirrors are nasty aerodynamic shapes," he said. "And teams would ideally want not to have any mirrors at all, and clearly there's a regulation requiring mirrors to be in certain positions and have a certain amount of visibility.
"So I'm sure that when a team comes forward and says, 'We want to mount it here' it is because they feel it's going to be a bit better aerodynamically, we have no doubt about it. That includes halo mounting as well.
"Now it is our responsibility to make sure the rules are specific enough, and we hope to also make improvements in the future, to make sure the mirrors achieve their real function, which is to be able to see at the back, and to stop them being used for aerodynamic purposes.
"But as long as there is a big device somewhere in the air teams will always worry about the aerodynamic effect. It's our responsibility to regulate it properly."
Previous article
Spanish GP F1 practice: Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes 1-2 in FP3
Next article
Dutch supermarket ordered to pay Max Verstappen €150,000 in damages
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Olivier Panis |
| Teams | Ferrari |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
The AlphaTauri improvements that mean Gasly’s form is no fluke
Pierre Gasly has driven superbly since demotion from Red Bull in 2019, but the team formerly known as Toro Rosso has come on strong too – building a car that can often challenge Ferrari and McLaren. Here Gasly reveals to ALEX KALINAUCKAS how AlphaTauri has given him the tools needed to rebuild his reputation
Why Bottas feels the time has come to be “more selfish”
We’ve seen five distinct versions of Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes as he’s tried to fulfil his own ambitions while being a consummate team player – two difficult, competing missions which have been challenging to reconcile. Speaking exclusively to STUART CODLING, Bottas explains his highs and lows… and why he still believes he can be world champion
Does Aston have a case in F1 2021’s big technical row?
Aston Martin claims Formula 1’s latest technical tweaks have cost it competitiveness – and that it’s the innocent victim of a regulatory stitch-up aimed at pegging back Mercedes. But is any of this actually true? It depends on who you ask, says STUART CODLING
How long can F1 2021's brewing title battle stay clean?
Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been evenly matched so far in the 2021 Formula 1 title race. Neither has been afraid to get aggressive against each other on track, teeing up an enthralling contest as the year unwinds. But is their rivalry destined to end in broken shards of carbon fibre?
What the Spain result tells F1 about the next phase of the Mercedes/Red Bull title fight
OPINION: Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have recovered from their pre-season woes to take three wins from the opening four races of 2021. But each time Red Bull and Max Verstappen have pushed them hard. So, what clues did the latest round of that battle – the Spanish Grand Prix – tease about the next stage of the season?
How Brabham’s one-hit wonder was boxed into a corner
The Brabham BT46B raced once, won once, then vanished – or did it? STUART CODLING reveals the story of the car which was never actually banned…
The changes Barcelona needs to provide a modern-day F1 spectacle
Formula 1’s visits to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya over recent years have been met with familiar criticisms despite tweaks here and there to the track to improve racing. With the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix largely going the same way, proper solutions need to be followed to achieve F1’s wider targets
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings
Often described as Formula 1's laboratory, the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona gave the clearest demonstration yet of the pecking order in 2021. And it's the key discrepancies from that order which illuminate who is excelling, and who needs to hit the reset button
