Mercedes W13 Confirmed Legal as the FIA Clears Controversy-Ridden Rear-View Mirrors

Rival teams always pay keen attention to Formula One Giants Mercedes. Their unending success as a team naturally attracts scrutiny from many in the racing world.

Unsurprisingly, the Brackley team left everyone shocked when their new W13 debuted the Bahrain tracks. Reports suggest many have raised their doubts, backing their knowledge from the FIA regulations book.

Mercedes W13 Mirrors are going nowhere

Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto sometime ago claimed that the W13’s mirrors were not something he was expecting. He claimed the mirrors were an obvious addition to the car’s aerodynamics and certainly wanted them gone.

Backing his claim, Binotto said, “The FIA ​​has always made it clear that the support for the mirrors must have only a structural function and if it involves an aerodynamic influence it must be just ‘incidental’. If this has been the principle underlined by the FIA ​​in the past, I believe it must be the same today and in the future, there is no reason to change your mind today. “

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“Regarding the support of the mirrors in the past, the FIA ​​has sent technical directives to the teams, well underlining the basic concept. I believe that certain solutions seen on these cars do not have an accidental influence but have a clear aerodynamic purpose, so I believe that are contrary to what the FIA ​​has indicated in the past .” He further added.

The Mirrors were always legal

However, despite all the allegations, the FIA has confirmed the mirrors as legal. The Mercedes technicians Mike Elliott and James Allison made a smart move and presented a mini-design long ago. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) deemed their representation of the rules as okay, even before the tests in Sakhir.

Additionally, Mercedes sidepods were under attack too, as the minimalized design was a hot topic. While there has been no update there yet, the sidepods are also expected to be legal.

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The W13 is a one-of-a-kind design and might open new doorways for the racing world. However, no one can predict how capable the car is as of now.