The FIA has released a statement confirming that the McLaren and Mercedes front wings both comply with the technical regulations after Williams became the third team to lodge a complaint about the flexi-wing dilemma.
Red Bull and Ferrari both requested talks with the FIA over the matter after onboard footage of the MCL38 and W15 at the Italian Grand Prix sparked further intrigue into the matter. The strong performance of the two teams’ front wings is believed to be inspiring their strong development trajectories.
Making his position clear to Austrian broadcaster ORF, Helmut Marko said: “The front wing of McLaren and Mercedes must be analysed.” Christian Horner then added: “I think the regulations are very clear and that’s an FIA issue.
“Obviously they are tested and they pass, but then you have to look at the wording of the regulations. But, if you remember back in ’21, certainly around Baku time, there was a change to the front wing regulations, even though our wings passed the test. It’s an FIA issue, so we’ll leave it and trust in them to deal with it.”
According to a report from The Mirror, it isn’t just Ferrari and Red Bull complaining. Williams have also joined in, with James Vowles and his technical team keen for the FIA to take a closer look at their competitors.
In a bid to quieten speculation, the FIA responded with a statement on Tuesday. It read: “The FIA is examining front wings at every event with numerous checks (conformity of surfaces, conformity of deflections) with respect to the relevant F1 Technical Regulation.
The FIA is examining front wings at every event with numerous checks (conformity of surfaces, conformity of deflections) with respect to the relevant F1 Technical Regulation. This exercise will continue at least up until Singapore to ensure every team will have been running the mandated FIA camera on different types of tracks (low, medium, high, and very high downforce).
“This will ensure a large database allowing the FIA to draw the most objective picture of the situation and quantify differences between the various dynamic patterns observed on track.”
With the McLaren front wing deemed perfectly legal by the FIA, Red Bull and Ferrari are facing an uphill battle to deny the team a first Constructors’ Championship title since 1998. The Woking-based team are now just eight points behind the reigning champions at the top of the standings and have significant momentum.
