Formula 1’s clampdown on the controversial ‘mini-DRS’ has caused ripples across the paddock, with McLaren brushing off accusations of rule infringement and Alpine confessing to making modifications to its rear wing. This move follows the FIA’s resolution to enforce stricter rear wing flexibility checks ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, a decision sparked by suspicions that several teams were stretching the regulations to their advantage.
Although the FIA hasn’t officially disclosed the names of the implicated teams, industry insiders have pointed fingers at McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine, and Haas. The spotlight has been notably intense on frontrunners McLaren and Ferrari. However, both teams have categorically denied the need for any alterations to their design ahead of the Chinese race.
Neil Houldey, McLaren’s Technical Director of Engineering, hasn’t shied away from the controversy. He admitted to the scrutiny of his team’s rear wing by the FIA but was quick to shift the blame elsewhere, insisting that other teams were exploiting the mini-DRS effect more blatantly. “There were certainly teams that were pushing the boundaries on slot gap opening more than us,” Houldey claimed.
In the midst of this technical intrigue, Alpine has resolutely taken action following the FIA’s clampdown. The team’s Racing Director Dave Greenwood revealed that adjustments have been made to Alpine’s rear wing design. “We’ve had to do some work back at the factory to make sure we were in the correct place here,” Greenwood explained. He remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the modifications and commended the hard work of the Enstone factory staff to meet the tight deadlines.
Despite this upheaval, McLaren remains unfazed. They are confident in their design compliance, sticking with the same rear wing setup used in testing for the Shanghai weekend. This assurance stems from the fact that Lando Norris’s car passed the FIA’s rear wing flexibility test in Australia, showing it was already within the new limits.
Houldey commented, “Luckily we were tested in Melbourne, and the numbers that the FIA chose to put in the TD are higher than the deflection that we’d seen. So it’s had absolutely no impact on us at this event. The performance should be no different for us.”
However, whispers have circulated about a secondary low-downforce rear wing used by McLaren during testing in Australia. Houldey confirmed that this specific wing hadn’t undergone FIA testing but expressed confidence in its full compliance. He further speculated that other teams might have been able to make necessary adjustments without introducing new components. “Maybe there are set-up changes that they’ve been able to make that don’t require new components, or maybe they’ve had to make something incredibly quickly to get it here and become legal,” Houldey suggested.
As Formula 1 continues to grapple with the ‘mini-DRS’ controversy, it remains to be seen how these technical adjustments will impact the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix and the future trajectory of the racing season.
