Analysis
Formula 1
How Formula 1's new mirrors could look
Formula 1 mirror designs will be under the spotlight next week when technical chiefs meet with the FIA to discuss potential changes to help improve driver visibility.
Jonathan Noble Giorgio Piola
Edited: Jul 18, 2018, 2:50 PM
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As revealed by Motorsport.com, the FIA wants to move the mirrors so that a drivers' view is not obstructed by the top edge of the sidepods and wider wings, as has been increasingly happening.
Although an attempt by the FIA to stipulate a new location on safety grounds was redacted for procedural matters, the proposal does show what the governing body is trying to achieve.
As Giorgio Piola's exclusive drawings show, the location that was originally put forward by the FIA is higher and further out than mirrors currently are.
Mercedes AMG F1 W09 mirrors comparsion measure
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The idea (shown above) was for the centre point of the mirror to be 640mm above the reference plane and 450mm from the car's centre point. A 5mm tolerance would be allowed.
Previously, mirrors had to just be situated between 200mm and 550mm from the car centre line and there was no limit on height.
Mercedes AMG F1 W09 mirror position comparsion
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
As can be seen from the illustration above, the new area lifts the mirror clear of the upper surface of the sidepod and the rear wing.
The change of regulations in 2017 to a wider rear wing meant that there was more chance of the view being blocked by the endplate.
Mercedes AMG F1 W08 and W07 mirror comparsion
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The FIA will be hoping that new rules can be agreed to come in to force later this year, without the need of having to to the World Motor Sport Council to push through changes on safety grounds.
Concerns about lack of visibility have grown this year, with a near-miss between Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix having acted as a catalyst for a change.
At the British Grand Prix, Mercedes also experimented with a new location for its mirrors in a bid to try to help improve visibility for Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
Mercedes AMG F1 W09 mirrors
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
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