The F1 has long had to exert considerable pressure to enforce their size and position on safety grounds due to car designers’ constant desire to minimize airflow interference.
But the fact that a high-tech sport like Formula 1 still relies on fixed mirrors.
which have been a part of cars ever since they first raced, seems almost unbelievable.
In point of fact, it would seem logical for F1 to make the leap and become cutting-edge in this age of super-accurate GPS, onboard cameras, and high-speed digital processing.
This could necessitate installing rearward-facing cameras in all Formula One vehicles so that drivers can see what’s going on behind them on a small screen in the cockpit.
In Formula One, rear-facing cameras and cockpit screens are not a novel concept; drivers and the FIA have discussed the issue for some time.
In 2018, Carlos Sainz said:We’ve suggested using cameras rather than just a mirror, which is what they have in other categories, and I think the FIA will look into it.However,
We are aware that drivers in other categories also suffer from this condition.It seems to be in the WEC.It does not imply that it will occur, but it may be an alternative.
In fact, in-cockpit digital screens are used frequently in other categories. Audi’s R18 at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2012 was the first sportscar to use them.
These days they are ordinary in WEC, and are additionally utilized in different classifications like DTM
However, despite the fact that the FIA is aware of how well they function elsewhere, there are still significant obstacles in the way of these in-car screens being implemented in Formula One.
Nikolas Tombazis, the single seater technical director for the FIA, has provided an explanation of the three crucial issues that must be resolved before the screens can be considered for F1.
When asked about the technology, he told Motorsport.com:We have thought about it.There are three problems with it that need to be fixed.
One problem is that there isn’t much room in the cockpit for a TV screen.Second, it is utilized occasionally in closed-cabin vehicles with dark interiors because you can see if you put your phone in direct sunlight, and you do not want the drivers to squint to see if they can see anything.There you have it.
The third thing is that your focus changes as you move from one distance to another, which we are also concerned about and must carefully evaluate.
“We are looking into that, as well as possibly other approaches, like using an audio signal or something else, but it is still a work in progress.”
The FIA has chosen to increase the surface size of the mirror for 2023 in order to assist drivers in seeing more clearly in their mirrors.
The intelligent surface will increment in width by 50mm, implying that the mirror body should be more extensive and the place of the stays could likewise must be modified as an outcome.
Groups were offered the chance to test an arrangements during the season with an end goal to see why it could matter to the drivers.
Red Bull was the first team to perform a group test with all of the teams at the Dutch Grand Prix, followed by Mercedes in Belgium and Red Bull in Hungary.
As Aston Martin extended its mirror for the test, an illustration of the wider mirror can be seen below.
It also saw that as an opportunity to extend the surfaces that wrap around the main body and add a vertical fin, giving the structure additional rigidity and a means of diverting flow.