Helmut Marko wants the FIA to inspect the fins on McLaren and Mercedes
Following an exceptional qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix, Red Bull manager Helmut Marko has asked the FIA to examine the front wings of the McLaren and Mercedes cars. He suspects that these fins may be more flexible than Formula 1 rules allow.
The recent performances of McLaren have caught the attention of the paddock. If at the beginning of the season, McLaren was part of the Top 10, now it is on the podium that the two drivers regularly find their place. Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko, suggested to the FIA an analysis of the front wings of McLaren and Mercedes.
McLaren’s front wings: the key to success?
After a particularly successful qualifying session at the Italian Grand Prix, the Austrian Helmut Marko raised suspicions about the two teams McLaren and Mercedes. According to him, the few innovations on the front wings could give their rivals an advantage. Wings that do not seem to comply with the FIA rules. According to the latest rumors, they could be more flexible than what the Formula 1 technical regulations allow.
McLaren managed to secure the front row at Monza with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. On the Mercedes side, George Russell qualified third in his car. Performances well beyond what Red Bull achieved, as Max Verstappen could only manage seventh place on the starting grid. He was followed by his teammate in eighth position. The surprising performances are a result of a very rapid improvement. Last week at Zandvoort, Lando Norris finished the race with over 20 seconds ahead, a record this year. In the previous Grand Prix, Lando Norris had only managed fifth place.
The flexibility of the fins is not a new subject in the world of Formula 1. Already a few weeks ago, the FIA had announced the implementation of a monitoring system on the single-seaters. The organization had even gone so far as to install cameras on the fins of certain cars earlier in the year. However, McLaren’s recent success on the tracks has reignited the discussion. As Dutch commentator Tom Coronel had explained, “Everyone wants to know McLaren’s secret, as it is worth a lot of money,” he commented.
Helmut Marko’s frustration with the FIA
After the qualifications of the two teams this weekend, Helmut Marko, responsible for young talents at Red Bull, had warned about the situation. After a particularly difficult weekend for Red Bull, the Austrian called for an investigation by the FIA. Speaking to ORF after the session, Helmut Marko pointed the finger at the two teams. « The front wing of McLaren and Mercedes must be analyzed, he said.
This is not the first time that the front wing has raised several questions at Red Bull. After their defeat in Zandvoort, Team Principal Christian Horner also highlighted the role of the front wing in the victory that Lando Norris had achieved in the Netherlands. “The way the front wings are used is quite different,” he noted. “If you look at the angle of the front wing of the McLarens and the Mercedes, they are very, very different. Very different from the rest of the grid.”
Despite Red Bull’s complaints, McLaren’s recent performances were not enough to beat Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari at Monza. With a double podium, McLaren still managed to score 21 points more than Red Bull, reducing the gap in the constructor’s championship. Just 8 points behind the title holder, the British team could take the lead by Baku. So far, the FIA investigation results have not declared McLaren or Mercedes guilty of cheating or breaching technical regulations. A new investigation would probably yield the same results. It remains to be seen if Red Bull can persuade the organization to review its decision.
