Ferrari decided to step back from its latest aerodynamic innovation during the Formula 1 Chinese GP. The so-called ‘mini-wing’, a small metallic profile positioned above the micro-camera on the halo, was tested in free practice on Friday, but did not appear on the cars for the rest of the weekend.
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According to information from The Race website, the Italian team removed the device after discussions with the FIA. The element aimed to direct the airflow coming out of the halo’s central pillar upwards, preventing it from directly hitting the driver’s helmet and optimizing the aerodynamic behavior of the cockpit.
The new design even passed the technical inspection for free practice and could have been used in the Sprint race, but Ferrari chose not to risk it: “At that moment, it wasn’t worth getting worn out over the matter in China, nor running the risk of the governing body taking a stand against the team post-race or leaving a loophole for a competing team to file a complaint,” the team explained.
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According to the website, talks about the apparatus will continue until the FIA offers a definitive position on the novelty. The decision reinforces Ferrari’s caution in introducing innovative elements into a regulation that has been increasingly closely monitored by the category’s stewards.
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