A hot topic in the Singapore paddock is McLaren’s so-called ’mini DRS’ rear wing that is now in the spotlight of the F1 governing body, the FIA.
Although Ferrari is among other teams also experimenting with clever wing flexibility skirting the boundaries of the regulations, Charles Leclerc couldn’t help but joke when asked about his team’s new front wing.
"I mean, it’s not a mini DRS," he smiled, "but it’s positive."
Leclerc insisted that McLaren’s rear wing, which opens up DRS-like gaps at the extreme ends to shed drag when at high speed whilst still passing FIA flex tests, is "controversial, to put it mildly".
Predictably, McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris hailed the ingenuity of their team’s designers, with Piastri insisting: "Well, I mean, it’s legal.
"So yeah, as long as it passes all the tests."
Red Bull driver Sergio Perez, however, believes the McLaren solution is "outside the regulations", even though on paper it remains "a legal car".
Teammate and championship leader Max Verstappen added: "It might be smart, might not be smart, but at the end of the day it’s up to the FIA to decide if it’s legal or not, right?"
FIA scrutineers were seen carefully inspecting McLaren’s front and rear wings on Thursday ahead of the Singapore GP weekend.
Later, the Paris based federation confirmed it is "closely monitoring the bodywork flexibility" up and down pitlane, and "reserves the right to require teams to make modifications at any time during the season".