Outboard mirrors to be banned from Chinese GP

[John S]

I just wonder if this will slow up the Red bulls, and Ferrari to a lesser extent, as the mirror assemblies are so integrated into the areodynamic bodywork?

By Jonathan Noble and Matt Beer Autosport, Thursday, April 1st 2010.

Outboard mirrors are to be banned from Formula 1 with effect from the Chinese Grand Prix in two weeks' time, AUTOSPORT has learned, following concerns over poor visibility from sidepod-mounted mirrors creating a safety issue.

Several teams have mounted their mirrors on the sidepods of their cars for aerodynamic reasons, with Ferrari and Red Bull Racing's mirror positioning the most dramatic. But from Shanghai onwards, the mirrors will have to be fitted on the cockpit sides on safety grounds.

Drivers had said in Melbourne last weekend that they would be speaking to the FIA about the mirror problem. Several issues of accidental blocking in practice were put down to poor rear visibility.

"Everyone has got a problem with mirrors," said Sauber's Pedro de la Rosa in Australia. "The reality is that the mirrors on the sidepods, they give you very small vision of what is happening behind and they vibrate a lot so you see very little.

"So if you don't have a lot of information coming from the radio, then you have a problem. You can see when you have a car straight behind okay, but when it is two seconds behind you have no idea where it is. "Everyone has the same problem, but since the mirrors have gone outboard this is a problem - as they are aerodynamic devices now."

But Ferrari's Felipe Massa said he was quite happy with his team's mirror design. "I have no problem with my visibility," he insisted. "So, if it is the same I prefer to keep what I have, but we will see how it is going to be. I hope we don't lose anything moving the mirrors from one side to the other."

[cosworth151]

It sounds like a good idea. The current mounting of the mirrors can't be much use for their intended purpose.

[FW14B]

It is a good idea but this is surely something that could have been dealt with before the season began so that teams do not need to invest in new mirrors and mountings etc?

[Alianora La Canta]

Make it the Spanish Grand Prix. Apparently some teams have complained about only getting two weeks to change (Hispania has a point, Ferrari and Red Bull... ...possibly less so).

[lkjohnson1950]

I have always had a problem with changing the rules in mid season. Either the stalks should have banned before the season started or they should be banned after it ends.

Lonny

[cosworth151]

I watched practice one last night. Many of the cars had the mirrors move already, but the old "aero" mounts were still on the cars.

[Jericoke]

What about rearview cameras like on current road cars (or even racing games)?  Put a couple of monitors right in the cockpit.  Probably less total weight than the current mirror system.

[markb]

What about rearview cameras like on current road cars (or even racing games)?  Put a couple of monitors right in the cockpit.  Probably less total weight than the current mirror system.

Not sure I (or the FIA for that matter) will agree with that suggestion TBO.  Life in F1 is too complicated already, let's face it, we are talking about wing mirrors here right?   

[Scott]

What about rearview cameras like on current road cars (or even racing games)?  Put a couple of monitors right in the cockpit.  Probably less total weight than the current mirror system.

No kidding - even a sensor system and forget the mirrors (let the teams tell the drivers what's way behind, and let sensors tell the drivers what's in their blind spots - maybe a light system) would be better than teeny, tiny mirrors that shake like crazy.  Let technology rule.

[markb]

Glad somebody is on the same wavelength....

[Andy B]

This is not not going to happen till Barcelona as the logistics of the modifications is not practical on fly away races.