With the aim of increasing safety, the new 2026 regulations have introduced small LED lights on the mirrors, designed to improve visibility in wet conditions, especially when a car spins. This solution helps make a single-seater easier to spot in poor visibility even when it is positioned sideways on the track.
The 2026 regulations will not only change the way Formula 1 cars generate aerodynamic downforce or make use of the new hybrid power units. Alongside the technical revolution, the FIA has also carried out equally significant work on the safety front, introducing structural and operational updates intended to make the cars stronger and more visible in critical situations.
From an operational point of view, the Federation has continued to refine procedures for wet-weather conditions as well. Today, Formula 1 cars use a flashing rear light to improve visibility in the spray, complemented since 2019 by two LED lights positioned at the outer edges of the rear wing, which serve as an additional visual reference.
From this year, that system has been further expanded. On the new cars, LED lights are also installed on the outermost side of the rear-view mirrors. The objective is twofold. On the one hand, they provide drivers with a lateral light reference during side-by-side situations, when visibility can be almost non-existent.
On the other hand, they ensure an immediate visual reference even when a car spins or ends up sideways in the middle of the water spray. This makes the car identifiable not only from behind, but also from the front or the side, reducing the risk of secondary impacts. The LEDs integrated into the mirrors emit a light signal that allows other drivers to spot the car a fraction earlier.
The Barcelona tests offered the first concrete opportunity to see this new safety-focused solution in action, as well as to observe how it has been positioned. For some teams, the LED is located on the outermost area of the mirror, while for others it sits slightly further inward, closer to the cockpit, depending also on the positioning of the mirror itself.
The regulations define a specific geometric box within which the new lights must be installed, while still leaving teams a certain margin for interpretation. At the same time, the rear light housed within the crash structure has also been revised. This component remains standardised but features a different configuration, as from this year it will also accommodate a new camera inside.
The introduction of mirror-mounted LEDs marks a subtle but vital shift in Formula 1’s approach to wet-weather racing, shifting the focus from simply being seen from behind to being visible from all angles. By addressing the “blind spots” created by spray and lateral accidents, the FIA and the teams are taking proactive steps to ensure that even as cars become more complex, the fundamental safety of the drivers remains the top priority. As these systems are refined through the 2026 season, they are likely to become an indispensable tool for race direction and drivers alike during the sport’s most challenging weather conditions.
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