FIA clarifies Halo mirror clampdown

The FIA has issued clarification regarding Ferrari’s banned Halo mirrors, saying aerodynamic impact of mirror mountings should be incidental or minimal.

Ferrari arrived in Spain last weekend with mirrors on their Halo, and winglets on the mirrors.

The team was told that the structure does not meant requirements and have to remove it before the next race in Monaco.

While the FIA concedes that the criteria is to “some extent subjective”, they have issued clarification on why Ferrari’s Halo mirrors were banned.

The statement read: “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.

“In order to ensure this is the case all mountings must:

“a) 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.

“b) 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.”