McLaren's Rear Wing Cleared by FIA Amid Red Bull Concerns
McLaren's rear wing has come under scrutiny after rival team Red Bull raised concerns about its legality during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
TV footage showed the rear wing of the McLaren flexing on straights, prompting questions about whether it complies with Formula 1 regulations. However, McLaren and the sport's governing body, the FIA, have both confirmed that the car has passed all necessary tests.
The FIA released a statement, saying, "The McLaren had passed all tests with regard to flexibility of bodywork and complied with the rules."
Despite this, the FIA is still reviewing data from the Baku race and may implement additional measures in the future if necessary. McLaren also defended their design, with a spokesperson saying the car complies with all regulations.
The FIA reiterated that it is keeping a close eye on the flexibility of bodywork across all teams and reserves the right to request modifications if needed. However, as long as a car passes all tests, it is deemed legal under current rules.
For now, McLaren’s rear wing remains within the bounds of the regulations, but the FIA’s ongoing review suggests that this may not be the end of the story.
McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who won in Baku, was quick to defend his team, dismissing claims that their performance was due to any grey areas in the rules.
“It’s legal. We get tested a lot, and it passes,” Piastri said.
He added that the wing's behaviour was not the reason for their recent success, insisting that there is no magic solution behind their competitiveness.
This debate over McLaren’s rear wing follows a familiar pattern in Formula 1, where top-performing teams often face scrutiny. Piastri acknowledged that any competitive car gets closely inspected, referring to past controversies with other teams, such as Red Bull's DRS and Mercedes’ rear wing issues.
"You look at any car that’s been competitive, and it always gets scrutinised to the highest level," he said.
While Red Bull has not officially commented on the matter, their growing concern over McLaren’s rear wing isn't the first time they’ve questioned the legality of an opponent’s design. Previously, Red Bull raised similar concerns about McLaren’s front wings, which were also found to comply with the regulations.
With Red Bull’s Max Verstappen leading the championship, but McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri closing in, the rivalry between the two teams is heating up. After dominating the early season, Red Bull’s form has dipped, while McLaren has surged to claim three wins in the past five races.
For McLaren, the focus remains on racing and continuing their strong form, with Piastri emphasizing that the team is simply "finding every bit of performance" without breaking any rules.
