The FIA is investigating McLaren’s “mini-DRS”
Following concerns expressed about the McLaren rear wing during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the FIA has issued a statement to clarify the situation. It stated that an investigation was underway and that potential measures regarding the flexibility of rear wings in Formula 1 could be considered.
During the race in Baku, Oscar Piastri clinched victory by holding off the repeated attacks from Charles Leclerc. However, observers noted that the rear wing of the McLaren seemed to show a slight deformation at high speed. This innovation was quickly dubbed the “mini-DRS” due to its similar effects to the DRS system.
As the FIA has approved the front wing of McLaren, questions are now being raised about the behavior of the rear wing, as rival teams are seeking clarification on the regulations concerning its flexibility.
New data to analyze.
As the Singapore Grand Prix approaches, the FIA announced that it was reassessing the evidence gathered during the Baku event. In a statement, the regulatory body indicated: “The FIA is currently reviewing the data and any additional evidence that has emerged from the Azerbaijan GP and is considering any mitigation measures for future implementation. This is part of the standard process of technical legality control, and the FIA retains the power to introduce regulatory changes during the season if necessary.”
However, if a team passes all deflection tests and complies with the regulations and technical guidelines, it is considered in compliance and no further action will be necessary, she added.
Although the McLaren wing passed the deflection tests, the question is whether intentionally designing a wing to flex in this way complies with the FIA guidelines on acceptable flexibility.
Strict limits on the bending of the fins
The FIA has specified that certain flex characteristics will not be accepted, even if the wings pass compliance checks. It is based here on a technical directive (TD34) which stipulates that « designs whose structural characteristics are altered by secondary parameters, in order to produce a deflection characteristic different from that at rest during FIA checks, will not be considered legal. Examples of secondary parameters could be temperature, aerodynamic load, etc.
McLaren is therefore in the spotlight of the FIA.
If the British team is currently at the center of this controversy, other teams could also see their rear wings scrutinized due to their flexibility. At Ferrari, for example, a similar movement has been noticed on Charles Leclerc’s car.
