The FIA is taking new measures against flexible wings
Faced with what she considers to be liberties taken by teams regarding the design of their cars, the FIA wishes to investigate flexible wings, which would go beyond the rules.
The FIA has sent to the Formula 1 teams, before the Dutch Grand Prix, a document concerning the use of flexible wings, which it deems inappropriate. The International Automobile Federation has ordered the teams to provide assembly plans for the fixing elements of the front and rear wings of their single-seaters by September 8th. For now, the teams will not have to modify their designs at Monza, but a decision will be made by the FIA for the Singapore Grand Prix (September 15-17).
Fins that do not comply with technical regulations?
Some media outlets that had access to this document, such as Autosport, report that the FIA believes that the teams are exploiting intentional localized areas of compliance « as well as relative movements between adjacent components », which would give them a significant aerodynamic advantage. According to the Federation, this constitutes a violation of Articles 3.2.2 and 3.3 of the Formula 1 technical regulations.
The article states the following: « With the exception of the driver-adjustable bodywork (described in Article 3.10.10) and flexible joints (specifically permitted by Articles 3.13 and 3.14.4), all aerodynamic components influencing the aerodynamic performance of the car must be rigidly and securely fixed (relative to their defined reference framework in Article 3.3). Furthermore, these components must produce a uniform, solid, hard, continuous, and impermeable surface under all circumstances. Any device or construction intended to fill the gap between the suspended part of the car and the ground is prohibited under all circumstances. »
Several wing attachment elements to study
In its note, the FIA lists several design elements that it deems illegal. The wing components, attached to the bodywork, that could move vertically or horizontally, as well as rotate around a fixing point. The use of elastomeric nets, compliant sections of the wing profile, or a thin flexible laminate at a junction that can either deform, deviate from the plane, or twist to allow localized deflection relative to the bodywork to which the element is attached. »
In short, this is a matter of technical precision, but what needs to be remembered is that the FIA does not want it to move. The governing institution had already initiated its investigation into these flexible wings since the beginning of the season and invited certain teams to modify their wing before the Azerbaijan GP.
