McLaren could be forced into major change to car with the FIA considering action as new statement released
McLaren could be in trouble.
The FIA have released a further statement regarding the controversial McLaren rear-wing design despite it being deemed completely legal following the Baku Grand Prix.
McLaren were once again on the top step of the podium in Azerbaijan as Oscar Piastri took the win ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who led the first phase of the race.
Leclerc, who is widely renowned as the best driver around Baku, managed to stay with Piastri after being overtaken and was within a second of the Australian for the majority of the remaining laps.
However, despite a 2.2km straight and with the aid of DRS (drag reduction system) Leclerc was unable to get past Piastri, who appeared to have a clear advantage on straight line speed.
Following the race, onboard footage of the rear wing of Piastri emerged, which appeared to show the DRS flap flexing open on the long straight.
DRS is given if a chasing car is within a second of the car in front in order to aid overtaking by opening a flap in the car’s rear wing which reduces drag allowing for a higher top speed.
As the lead car Piastri was not getting the aid of DRS, but the flexible flap is likely to have aided the McLaren driver when defending Leclerc.
The footage caused uproar in the F1 community with many calling for McLaren to be investigated for their ‘flexi-wing’ however both McLaren cars were passed as legal by the FIA after the race.
The FIA’s rules and regulations have often been layered with ambiguity and one team boss has questioned if there should be a significant investigation into the current McLaren design.
One team boss told Autosport: “Aero elasticity has been a factor for many, many years now, and even if a wing passes the FIA test the regulations remain very clear – the component cannot be designed to flex.
“We’re starting to see extremities be exploited again, and I think it’s down to the FIA to decide, is that okay.”
The anonymous boss looks like they’re going to get their wish, as the FIA have released a follow-up statement on the McLaren which states they could take immediate action against the team.
The statement reads: “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. 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. 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 FlA retains the authority to introduce regulatory changes during the season if required.”
This wouldn’t be the first time a winning team has been forced to change an aspect of their car midseason as Ferrari were forced to adapt their engine in 2019 which completely derailed their progress.
If action is taken it could be perfect news for Max Verstappen, who saw his championship lead take yet another dent from Lando Norris.