Drivers in the NTT IndyCar Series will not be allowed to use tinting on their protective Aeroscreen this season as they have done in years past.
An added line item in the recently released rulebook for this season outlines the change, which goes into effect starting at the first race on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The new rule states that coverings or tinting will only be allowed near the very back edge of the side of the Aeroscreen, effectively leaving the entire area forward of the driver’s helmet unobstructed.
The only exception will be in cases where IndyCar has given prior approval, though it is unknown to what extent those exceptions will be granted.
The full text of the change reads: No tinting or covering is permitted forward of a vertical line 10 inches from the trailing edge of the aeroscreen mounting flange without prior INDYCAR approval, except for the banner (as defined in the INDYCAR Stye Guide).
Only a few drivers chose to run heavy tinting on their cars last season, with Santino Ferrucci’s dark canopy being the most noticeable at the Indianapolis 500.
Ferrucci garnered a lot of attention due to the mean appearance of his car on track, with multiple drivers hinting they would look into doing the same in the future if they found it helped to cut down on sun glare.
Simon Pagenaud was also seen running a strip of darker tint around the top of his Aeroscreen for a good part of the season, with his addition acting almost as a sun visor would in a passenger car.
Other rules applied to the Aeroscreen remain the same, except for a clarification that allows teams to clean the screen and remove tear-offs during a red flag period.
Both changes were likely made for visibility reasons, which was seen to directly affect the safety of the drivers.
