FERRARI, RED BULL, AND WILLIAMS READY TO TAKE FRONT WING ACTION WITH FIA ANALYSIS REQUEST MADE

Several F1 teams, including Ferrari and Red Bull, are understood to be unhappy with the levels of flex on display by rival’s front wings.

Ferrari and Red Bull have found it increasingly difficult to keep pace with rival teams McLaren and Mercedes over recent races, with Red Bull, in particular, falling away from the front of F1 as the RB20 hasn’t won a race since June’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Red Bull and Ferrari ready to take front-wing action as FIA analysis requested

While Ferrari won the Italian Grand Prix last weekend as Charles Leclerc held on to make a one-stop strategy work and beat the two McLaren drivers, the Scuderia has had a low-key summer since its dominant victory in Monaco.

Aside from the occasional podium, Ferrari has been unable to trouble the top three as McLaren and Mercedes’ seasons came alive, while hints emerged prior to the summer break that the level of front-wing flex of some of the teams has caught the interest of the FIA – although the governing body is understood to only be looking with the intent of tightening flex tests for 2025.

At Spa-Francorchamps, a technical directive was brought in to allow the FIA to more closely monitor the front wings of the cars via a series of ultra-high-resolution cameras and tracking dots.

Following the Italian Grand Prix weekend, the voices calling for closer examination of front wing flex have only grown louder, as Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told Austria’s ORF.

“The front wing of McLaren and Mercedes must be analysed,” he said.

Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur smiled when asked about the front wing flex and said this particular conversation is one that he wants to only have with FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis – Vassuer is understood to be discussing the matter with the governing body’s technical chief on Tuesday.

“This is a discussion that I don’t want to have with you [laughs],” he told media including PlanetF1.com, “I will have it with Tombazis.

“But we have to respect the decision of the FIA, that we’ll have again the discussion.”

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As for Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who has pinpointed the front wing as an area with potential to be found and said the McLaren and Mercedes’ front wing angles are “very different to the rest of the grid”, said it’s a matter for the FIA to explore.

“I think the regulations are very clear, and I think that’s an FIA issue,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, after the Italian GP.

“So obviously, there are tests that they passed, but then you’d have to look at the wording of the regulations.

“I mean, we got, if you remember back in ’21, certainly around Baku time, there was a change to the front wing regulation. Even though our wings passed the test, it was exploiting air elasticity.

“So that’s an FIA issue, so we’ll leave it and trust in them to deal with it.”

But asked if Red Bull needs to follow a similar route, Horner confirmed: “Well, if it’s acceptable, then you have to join it.”

Aside from the two front-running teams, Williams is also understood to be unhappy with the situation and has voiced concerns to the FIA.

However, at this point, no official complaints have been lodged with the governing body.

2024-09-03T06:18:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd