Formula 1’s governing body is considering whether rules changes are needed after footage emerged of McLaren’s rear wing deforming in Baku.
The FIA stressed it has received no complaints about any team’s use of flexible bodywork and is not responding to any specific aerodynamic behaviour.Oscar Piastri won last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix for McLaren. Afterwards onboard camera footage of the MCL38’s rear wing showed it deforming at high speed in a manner which could offer a performance advantage.
The intrigue surrounded the outer edges of the DRS flap on McLaren’s rear wing. As the car approached top sped on Baku’s long straights, when its DRS was not activated, the edges of the flag appeared to flex. This could allow air to pass through the DRS flap when it is not open at high speed, stalling the wing and further increasing the car’s maximum speed.
Piastri repeatedly thwarted Charles Leclerc’s attempts to pass him for the lead even when the Ferrari driver was able to use his DRS. “They are so fast in the straight,” Leclerc remarked on his radio as he tried to attack the McLaren.
The FIA confirmed in a statement to RaceFans it is examining the data it collected at last weekend’s race and could implement changes to the regulations for future events.
“The FIA is closely monitoring the flexibility of bodywork on all cars and reserves the right to request teams to make modifications at any point during the season,” it said. “However, if a team successfully passes all deflection tests and adheres to the regulations and technical directives, they are deemed to be in full compliance, and no further action will be taken.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
“The FIA is currently reviewing data and any additional evidence that has emerged from the Baku GP and is considering any mitigating measures for future implementation. This is part of the standard process when scrutineering technical legality, and the FIA retains the authority to introduce regulatory changes during the season if required.”
McLaren is expected to use a different specification of rear wing for this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, which requires a much higher downforce level than Baku.
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories - and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
- Verstappen: “Important” for FIA to clarify legality of McLaren’s ‘mini DRS’ wing
- Hamilton explains suspension set-up change behind “miserable” Baku weekend
- Piastri needs “crazy” results to become title contender despite Baku win
- FIA taking new look at flexing bodywork amid intrigue over McLaren’s rear wing
- Norris knew Verstappen broke VSC rules in Baku because he did the same in Melbourne
BasCB (@bascb)
19th September 2024, 9:54
I doubt we will see this wing (and this wing behaviour) in any of the coming tracks, since Baku just has so much longer straights there than any of the other tracks they race on anyway.
Erzen (@xenn1)
19th September 2024, 10:21
@bascb Las Vegas is the only one left where i could see this wing be advantageous and make a return, but otherwise agree. They’ll likely tighten the load tests for next year and leave it be for the rest of this season as this gap between Singapore and Austin would be the last opportunity to implement any changes as the rest of the season is packed too tightly and the teams will certainly not agree to it, and i don’t believe they can gather enough data after this weekend alone to have any meaningful information to work with.
Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
19th September 2024, 10:08
I wish they would lower the budget further, but let these things slip instead. Allow teams to choose whether to chase smart inventions someone else discovered, or focus on something else. We’ll see cars with different behaviour, some will have a brilliant feature that benefits them in Baku, Spa, and Monza. Others will have a clever suspension trick that makes them unstoppable in Monaco, Hungary, and Singapore.
McLaren found a smart solution that still stays within the requirements of the flex tests. Awesome, hats off. Let them keep it, let the others chase.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th September 2024, 23:54
@chrischrill The flex test is only the start of the problems. I for one do not see how this can possibly comply with the rules about the DRS having a single axis of rotation, or indeed the requirement for all components on the back of the rear wing (including the DRS) to be positioned more than 30 degrees off the horizontal.
It’s not a smart invention if it is against the regulations as written, on visual evidence. The breaches I’m seeing only require photos in the public domain to demonstrate, nothing as fancy as a flex test.
SteveP
20th September 2024, 8:32
Flexing of the rotatable section of the wing is different from maintaining a single axis of rotation.
As far as I can see, the flexing doesn’t decrease the angle of that component to the horizontal – so that element of the regs does not seem to be applicable.
It isn’t against the regulations as written. The “breaches” you are seeing are in your own mind.
Mercedes/Hamilton fan here. I stand neutral on this and say that the people trying to find fault are trying to lead the FIA to invent some new “clarification” to disadvantage McLaren, to the benefit of their chosen team.
Like the precursor of DRS (the ‘F duct’ – also a McLaren invention) it’s a bit of sharp thinking.
BC
19th September 2024, 10:20
I see the FIA has detected some innovation going on, so I’m sure their best and brightest will be along to crack down on it.
In the cost cap era, surely teams should be allowed more freedom? I get not wanting to massively advantage the teams with the deepest pockets, but it’s not as much of a problem now.
notagrumpyfan
19th September 2024, 10:53
I agree that in the cost cap era many rules are no longer needed; e.g. minimum car weight.
The rule of forbidding flexible aerodynamic parts is not one I would drop though.
BLS (@brightlampshade)
19th September 2024, 10:39
I can understand (if not always agree) with them wanting to stamp out sophisticated tricks in the past to save teams spending a fortune on ridiculous avenues of research, but wasn’t this what the budget cap was brought in for?
With a major overhaul of car design coming in soon as well it feels even more pointless to start banning things, unless they feel McLaren are “too good” for “the show”.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai)
19th September 2024, 11:23
Quite so.
Quite so.
After billions spent and years of blood , sweat and tears to see Bahrain specifically and the Middle East generally denied their place in the vanguard of the pinnacle of Motorsport because of a minot technicality ,if that, would be insufferable.
As the only shareholder in the entire McLaren group not just the McLaren F1 team,
Mumtalakat – the Bahraini sovereign wealth fund would not be impressed .I doubt Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa would wish to become personally involved.
notagrumpyfan
19th September 2024, 10:50
Colloquially referred to as ‘mini DRS‘.
Mayrton
19th September 2024, 13:17
Investigate they will. Take action they won’t, since it’s good for the championship. It is a welcome aid to their Pirelli help installed already.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
19th September 2024, 23:56
A Championship “won” by cheating is bad for the F1’s health. It took over 2 years for F1 to recover from Abu Dhabi 2021 in terms of global viewer count, and trust hasn’t been restored.
Brendan Macken
19th September 2024, 20:21
The flexi DRS element make absolute sense.
Ramp up the element for better cornening speed and it flexes and reduces drag on the straights.
Brilliant.