Ferrari and Red Bull seeking FIA’s attention over rival’s front wings
03. 09. 2024
2 min

Ferrari and Red Bull seeking FIA’s attention over rival’s front wings

Tereza Hořínková
News.gp journalist and a girl with big dreams

Formula 1 redbullracing ferrari fia f1controversies

According to Red Bull and Ferrari, the front wings of their rivals, McLaren and Mercedes, don’t completely align with the F1 rules. Their are now seeking FIA’s attention to look more deeply into the case and take actions.

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Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner and Ferrari's Frederic Vasseur brought up a discussion about the use of flexible front wings in F1 as according to them, they don't fully align with the Formula 1 rules and might be giving their rivals some kind of advantage.

Lately, the front wings on McLaren and Mercedes cars have caught attention for flexing more than the rules seem to allow, although they have passed the FIA's tests. Those tests took place during the Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit earlier this year. To monitor the flexing, the FIA used cameras during practice sessions but they haven’t found any breech of rules.

All front wings naturally flex to generate more downforce when subjected to the forces of a grand prix car, with specific tolerances accounted for. But in this case, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko wants a closer look at the designs used by McLaren and Mercedes, as he thinks that this kind of flexing is too much.

When Christian Horner was asked about the case after the Italian Grand Prix, he basically only shifted the responsibility back to the FIA.

"I think the regulations are very clear, and I think that is an FIA issue," he told media after the race.

"Obviously, it is their tests that they passed, but then you have to look at the wording of the regulations.”

"If you look back to 2021, certainly around Baku time, there was a change to the front-wing regulations - and even though our wings passed the test, it was exploiting air elasticity.”

"It is an FIA issue, we'll leave it and trust in them to deal with it, but if it is acceptable, then you have to join it," Horner added.

Fred Vasseur was also asked about his opinion on the matter of flexible front wings

"That is a discussion I don't want to have with you," he replied to the question.

"I will have it with Nikolas Tombazis, but we have to respect the decision of the FIA, but we will deal with it internally with the FIA,” said Vasseur and brushed aside any other questions about this topic.

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