Source:REUTERS/Claudia Greco
[Saba Sports News] After Ferrari and Red Bull jointly requested clarification from the FIA regarding the legality of McLaren and Mercedes’ “flexible front wings,” the FIA issued a statement indicating that multiple checks are conducted on front wings during each race to comply with relevant F1 technical regulations. Following inspections, all teams’ front wings currently meet the 2024 regulations. Since the Belgian Grand Prix, the FIA has collected extensive data during FP1 and FP2 phases to assess front wing performance under dynamic conditions. To this end, the FIA has installed cameras specifically to capture areas of the front wing that cannot be seen by FOM’s official cameras. This work will continue at least until the Singapore Grand Prix to ensure that each team can operate FIA’s cameras on different types of tracks. As no component is absolutely rigid, load-deflection testing has been introduced in the regulations. Over the years, front wings have been a challenging and controversial area due to differences in aerodynamic load patterns between teams, making it difficult to find a load vector applicable to all types of front wing structures. In contrast, other areas of the car such as rear wings and floor edges have more consistent aerodynamic load patterns, making it easier to conduct standardized load-deflection tests. The FIA reiterated in its statement that it has the authority to introduce new testing methods if there are suspicions of violations but currently has no plans for any short-term measures.