McLaren will modify its highly controversial ’mini DRS’ rear wing, following three protests from rivals Red Bull that were supported from the sidelines by Ferrari.
"The FIA must react," demanded Red Bull F1 advisor Dr Helmut Marko in Singapore.
Viral images and videos of McLaren’s field-leading car from the rearward-facing onboard camera sent shockwaves up and down the Formula 1 paddock after last weekend’s Azerbaijan GP.
Marko described it as "extreme bending", resulting in two DRS-like drag-shedding gaps opening up at the extreme ends. "The rules are clear that the wing must not change aerodynamically while driving," the Austrian insisted.
Earlier, McLaren sounded confident the wing was completely legal. When asked how he can be so confident of that, McLaren designer Rob Marshall told Viaplay: "By reading the rules.
"There are often ambiguities in the rules, but they are there to be clarified."
Although the McLaren wing passes the FIA’s static flexibility tests, Marko said the regulations also forbid excessive bending when on the track.
"That wing bends," he said, "and it gives them an advantage."
When rumours began to circulate that the FIA had asked McLaren to tweak the design, the team told journalists via Whatsapp that it volunteered to make the changes.
"It was us who offered to change the wing," confirmed McLaren CEO Zak Brown. "It’s a small adjustment to our Baku wing, and it won’t make a huge difference, so I’m pretty relaxed about it."
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur said seeing the images from Baku left him "frustrated", but he left the actual protesting to Red Bull.
The energy drink-owned outfit calculated the innovation to be worth 1-2 tenths per lap. "We protested against McLaren’s rear wing three times," Marko confirms. "Today the FIA made a very correct decision.
"Now it’s time to take a closer look at their front wing."