During the opening run of the test session on Wednesday at the Yas Marina Circuit, wheel covers were fitted to the rear wheels of Lando Norris’ McLaren car with LED lighting.
Norris did just one flying lap with the LED light wheel covers before returning to the pits, after which they were removed for his further run.
It still served as a foretaste of future technologies that could be introduced into series in the future. The lights could potentially be used either for team marketing purposes or to provide information such as vehicle location.
“The idea was to put some LEDs in the wheel covers so that these wheel covers can also be used for marketing purposes, ie you can display any kind of message,” Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola told Motorsport.com in Abu Dhabi.
“But of course you have to test them, because the hubcaps are also an element that could throw the tire off balance.
“It is really important that the tire is properly balanced, otherwise they will start to vibrate.”
Isola added, “If that suits you [LED light] Device and the device works, you can do what you want.
“You can show the position, you can show logos, you can show the lap time in qualifying or something like that. There are many opportunities.
“You have the technology so that you can just program what you want to display.”
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M Mule
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Hubcaps will return to F1 next year under the revised technical regulations, prompting teams to test them out on their modified mule cars during the Abu Dhabi test run.
The teams were allowed to use the new 18-inch Pirelli tires on their Mule cars during the test, which gives them the opportunity to collect some data before their launch next year.
The additional wheel structure, which also includes a deflector over the front wheels, is intended to reduce the caster of the wheels when turning.
Isola explained that the original wheel cover designs for the 18-inch tires needed to be revised to ensure they stayed balanced and that the pit crew could easily remove the tires from the car.
“Next year the rims will be standard for everyone, sensors will be standard and rim covers will be standard,” said Isola.
“The first version of the rim cover was very close to the rim and we had two problems. One was in the pit stops for the mechanics because they have to stick their fingers in and take off the tires, and the wheel cover couldn’t do that so they had to modify it.
“The second was that we couldn’t add the balanced weight on the outside. So when you see the latest version of the mudguard there is a shape that covers the rim, but then you have a step closer to the rim that is useful for the mechanics to take the tire and for us to counterbalance the weight .
“With this final version we can balance the tire when it is equipped with the wheel and the wheel cover. Otherwise problems can arise when you add the wheel cover after balancing. “
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