F1 prodigy, Lando Norris, has vehemently dismissed allegations that the International Automobile Federation’s (FIA) recent restrictions on flexible rear wings will impact McLaren negatively. He steadfastly maintains that their wing is not only compliant but also well within approved standards. Norris even expressed a hint of regret, suggesting that McLaren could have pushed the technical boundaries a bit further.
The controversy surrounding flexible wings has dominated the discourse in the lead-up to the FIA 2025 championship. The FIA, in its proactive stance, issued a revised technical directive to curb teams from employing flexible front and rear wings. However, the enforcement of this directive on rear wings was slated for the ninth round at the Spanish Grand Prix, where more rigorous tests would be implemented. The permissible level of flex was set to decrease from 15mm to 10mm.
This directive has triggered specific interest in Article 3.15.17 of the technical regulations, which addresses the flexibility of the rear wing’s mainplane tip. Initially, the permitted level of flexibility here was 2mm. However, for the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix, this has been further reduced to a mere 0.75mm under the usual static load tests.
McLaren found itself under the spotlight, given their use of the mini-DRS wing during the previous season’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Oscar Piastri’s rear wing was observed to flex significantly as he fended off Charles Leclerc on the straights. Subsequent to discussions with the FIA, McLaren made modifications to their rear wing, leading Norris to confidently assert that the current rear wing checks have nothing to do with McLaren.
In the lead-up to the Chinese Grand Prix, Norris, the reigning Australian GP champion, declared, “We don’t change anything, ours is fine. In fact, ours is probably too good, and we are probably not pushing the limits enough, honestly.” He further added that even if the technical directive had been applied last weekend, McLaren would still be in compliance. He opined that it seemed other teams were the focus of these regulations.
The FIA, meanwhile, confirmed that all teams cleared the compulsory flexi tests in Australia. However, video footage of the cars’ rear wings indicates there may be sufficient cause for more rigorous testing. An FIA spokesperson spoke to PlanetF1.com, elaborating on the new testing measures introduced between the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
The spokesperson revealed that the FIA had employed cameras during Free Practice Sessions at the Australian Grand Prix to monitor on-track deformations. The analysis of the rear wing deformations and static deflections measured in the FIA garage in Melbourne led to the conclusion that there was a need for tougher tests from the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.
The spokesperson further clarified that starting from the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, the flexibility limit would be further tightened to 0.5mm. Given the short notice, a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit. Teams were notified about this revised test early on Monday, March 17th.
The FIA also wished to emphasize that all cars tested during the Melbourne event complied with the requirements of Article 3.15.17. Hence, all vehicles that raced in Melbourne were deemed legal.
