The competitive order in Formula 1 could see changes due to new regulations that will tighten restrictions on bodywork flexibility, starting with this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. Here`s what you need to know about this significant update.
What are the New Flexi-Wing Regulations?
In January, the FIA announced that more rigorous flexibility tests for front wings would be put in place from the ninth race of the season in Spain.
Fundamentally, while flexible bodywork is banned in F1, a certain degree of tolerance is permitted. This allowable deflection for the front wing and its flap will now be reduced from 15mm to 10mm.
Although this reduction might sound minor, in a sport where performance differences are often measured in millimetres, it represents a critical rule change.
FIA Regulation Details:
- When load is applied symmetrically to both sides of the car, the vertical deflection must not exceed 10mm.
- Any part of the trailing edge of any front wing flap may deflect no more than 3mm, measured along the loading axis, when a 60N point load is applied normal to the flap.
Why Introduce the Tests Now?
Following new tests for rear wings introduced immediately after just one race this season (at the Chinese Grand Prix), one might wonder why the same wasn`t done for front wings.
It takes considerably longer to design and manufacture a new front wing. This is why teams were given a four-month period to prepare for the new tests.
The front wing is a crucial component in F1. It`s the first part of the car that airflow interacts with, and its design fundamentally dictates the car`s initial aerodynamic profile.
Additionally, the front wing is integrated with the front impact structure, meaning any redesign must pass impact tests, which adds further complexity to the process. In comparison, a rear wing is a relatively simpler structure and doesn`t involve impact test complications.
Advantages of Flexible Wings
Wing flexibility has historically been key to performance in F1, as correctly exploiting it can provide an advantage.
An ideal F1 car would combine exceptional straight-line speed with high downforce for corners. However, physics dictates that these two characteristics are often contradictory.
For instance, a front and rear wing designed for low drag will result in high top speed but provide limited downforce in corners.
The intense competition among F1 teams means they constantly push the boundaries of regulations, exploring and exploiting grey areas to gain a performance edge over rivals.
Previous Disqualifications:
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel were both disqualified from qualifying for the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP after their front wings failed a deflection test.
Potential Impact on McLaren
A Formula 1 season wouldn`t feel complete without a technical debate. Flexi-wings were a significant topic during the 2021 season, with both Red Bull and Mercedes accusing each other of illegal wing flexibility.
Just last year, McLaren`s rear wing sparked controversy as it appeared to open a small gap at high speeds to improve straight-line performance (dubbed `mini DRS`), closing again for corners to maintain downforce.
McLaren was asked to modify that rear wing ahead of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, though the change did not seem to negatively impact their performance.
Since then, several teams are believed to have leveraged flexible wings that enhance performance while still complying with the FIA`s tests, thus remaining within the rules.
Although McLaren`s competitors haven`t openly accused them of exploiting this, there have been suggestions within the paddock that the Woking-based team might face challenges maintaining their recent competitive edge from Spain onwards.
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella commented on this earlier this month in Imola:
“It`s good news when our rivals get their focus – rather than on themselves – onto some of the aspects that allegedly are present in our car, and that effectively are not even present.”
“Certainly, even if they were – let`s say, flexi-wings like a front wing deflection, like everyone else – it has nothing to do with the reason why McLaren is very competitive.”
“I hope that in the future there will be more of these kinds of sagas because it means that our rivals keep focusing on the wrong things, and this is, for us, just good news. It`s just helping our quest.”
Team Principals` Reactions
The team principals from Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari were asked about the potential impact of the more stringent wing tests following the Monaco Grand Prix.
Christian Horner (Red Bull):
“Seven days ago we were in Imola at a higher-speed circuit and the car performed very well. We`re now heading back to some higher-speed circuits and, of course, essentially a regulation change.”
“Now maybe that will have zero impact on the running order, but it`s a change and it will affect all the teams maybe neutrally but there will be an impact from it.”
“What we don`t know is how it will affect others… it`s a significant change and so of course there will be some effect. Now, of course, the teams have anticipated that so it may well be neutral or maybe it will have some effect on degradation. It doesn`t make life easier.”
Toto Wolff (Mercedes):
“I think what we have seen is that Ferrari was probably most conservative on flexi wings. What it`s going to do on the pecking order is something we need to look at. I`m not sure it will, but another angle of curiosity and I don`t know how it`s going to go.”
Frederic Vasseur (Ferrari):
“I think Barcelona is on the calendar of everybody in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing.”
“At least we are working on it for ages now and this can be a gamechanger for everybody because we don`t know the impact on every single team of the new regulation.”
“We`ll stick to this [at Barcelona], be focused on this, to have the better explanation of the new front wing.”
What to Expect in Barcelona
According to Sky Sports F1`s Bernie Collins on The F1 Show:
“The teams have now had eight races to get ready for it. So they know on each deflection test that they do in the FIA garage, they will know what their deflection is for each of the wings and each set-up that they run in.”
“They will know how far out they are out, if any are out. We are not privy to that information, so we don`t know if anyone`s been regularly failing on the new metric of the front wing test.”
“As much as teams speculate whether it`ll affect them or not, and there was a lot of discussion that it would affect McLaren and McLaren have said it won`t affect them, they`re not worried about it, the proof will be in the pudding.”
“Is someone going to suffer by having to bring a new front wing? And we`ll find that out on Thursday when we get the parts that have changed on the car. And is anyone going to suffer with higher degradation, for example, or lower straight-line speed? That`s how we`ll see it.”
“If someone doesn`t have the same speed at the end of the straight as we would expect, that`s where we`ll see it, so we don`t know and that`s going to make Barcelona a little bit more exciting.”
