FIA Orders McLaren to Revise Controversial Rear Wing Amid Ferrari’s Growing Frustration

McLaren has been instructed to adjust their contentious rear wing, with Ferrari expressing their 'frustration.' The FIA, Formula 1's regulatory authority, has requested the modifications from McLaren.

The FIA has requested that McLaren alter their rear wing as part of the current debate in Formula 1 regarding flexible wings.

The incident occurred after competitors raised concerns about the legitimacy of McLaren's rear wing in the wake of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. TV images seemed to display a portion of the wing on Oscar Piastri’s winning car bending upwards during the straight sections of the track.

Although McLaren has maintained that their vehicle complies with regulations and has successfully cleared all FIA inspections, they acknowledged that they proposed modifications following discussions with Formula 1's regulatory authority.

According to a McLaren representative, "Even though our rear wing for the Baku race meets all regulatory standards and passes all deflection tests conducted by the FIA, McLaren has voluntarily decided to implement some minor modifications to the wing after discussions with the FIA."

"We also anticipate that the FIA will engage in similar discussions with other teams regarding the adherence of their rear wings to regulations."

Charles Leclerc from Ferrari called the rear wing "controversial, to put it mildly," and Red Bull has also expressed worries over McLaren's actions.

During Friday's press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari's team principal Fred Vasseur emphasized that the issue is clear-cut.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding regarding the front wing and the rear wing,” Vasseur explained, alluding to earlier inspections that had approved McLaren’s front wing.

“We all concurred that the front wing might be a contentious issue because the initial section of the Technical Directive states that designing any part of the car with the aim of causing deformation is prohibited. The concept of intention is tricky to handle.”

"The situation with the rear wing is entirely distinct. In the article, the maximum deflection is clearly defined and straightforward. There are no ambiguities or varying degrees; it's simply a matter of yes or no. To me, it's unequivocal."

Vasseur acknowledged that Ferrari is "frustrated" because McLaren has secured a competitive edge by employing what is being referred to as the 'mini DRS' in recent races.

“We’ve reviewed past events, which only took place on the low downforce track. I’m uncertain whether they intend to apply the same strategy in Singapore or Zandvoort,” he remarked.

"Once more, the duty falls on the scrutineering team and the FIA. It's not my role to handle it. They need to manage it, and we must have faith in their work. I'm not raising any objections regarding this matter."

"I believe it's beyond borderline. Everyone watched the video and observed the image, and it's somewhat exasperating, especially when recalling the Monza incident where five cars were within a two-and-a-half-second gap."

"You transition from P1 to P2, then from P5 to P6 in just 2.5 seconds. In Baku, we approach Turn 1 side-by-side, and you can understand our frustration."

When questioned about whether Ferrari regrets not being more assertive with the regulations, Vasseur replied, “To be honest, we are already pushing the boundaries of what we believe is within the rules."

"I can't request the team to exceed this limit. However, we're currently in a reactive mode, and once we receive clarification from the FIA, we will take action. This will be done provided they approve."

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