FIA publish a statement regarding McLaren's rear wing: 'Reviewing data'

Red Bull Content Pool

F1 News

McLaren F1 rear wing raises questions and FIA comes out with statement
19 September at 08:52
  • Corwin Kunst

The FIA has published a statement about McLaren's rear wing. After Oscar Piastri's victory in the streets of Baku, many fans focused their attention on the rear wing's movement down the straights. Its legality was questioned, and the FIA says that data is still being studied ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.

After the race through the streets of Baku, social media was abuzz with discussion about the McLarens' rear wing. Footage showed that the MCL38's DRS flap moved on the straights, even when the system was not activated. This would allow McLaren to use rear wings with more downforce while maintaining a high top speed. This would be particularly helpful when Charles Leclerc was trying to attack Piastri for the lead in Azerbaijan. The Ferrari driver was using DRS and the slipstream but couldn't make the overtake.

FIA statement

"The FIA is closely monitoring the flexibility of bodywork on all cars and reserves the right to request teams to make modifications at any point during the season. However, if a team successfully passes all deflection tests and adheres to the regulations and technical directives, they are deemed to be in full compliance, and no further action will be taken," the statement read.

"The FIA is currently reviewing data and any additional evidence that has emerged from the Baku GP and is considering any mitigating measures for future implementation. This is part of the standard process when scrutineering technical legality, and the FIA retains the authority to introduce regulatory changes during the season if required."

McLaren front wing

It was already clear that Ferrari and Red Bull Racing had doubts about the legality of McLaren's front wing. The FIA also issued a statement to clarify the discussion.

This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton

Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!

XInstagram | TikTok | YouTube