F1 teams have been given an FIA bombshell after a rule change has been swiftly rolled out ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.
Following close monitoring over the Australian Grand Prix weekend, the FIA have seen enough to warrant immediate action that will impact all teams heading into just the second race of the season.
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From the race at the Shanghai International Circuit, the FIA have confirmed that teams will now face tougher rear wing flexibility tests.
Cameras were fitted to certain cars in Melbourne to measure on track how much rear wings were flexing. Having combined the data with results found in static garage measurements, F1’s governing body has seen enough to conclude a rule change.
In China the new rule will see the rear wing will be limited to flexing to 0.5mm, having already tightened restrictions before the season to just 2mm. The area concerned is known as the slot gap which is the distance between the rear wing flap and the main plane.
Although the official gap is now 0.5mm, there will be a tolerance allowed of 0.75mm in China because of the sudden implementation.
All teams were found to have perfectly complied with the rules in Australia despite the sudden changes.
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New flexi-wing drama strikes Formula 1
It’s the latest chapter in the flexi-wing drama that has endured from the second half of last season, where McLaren were accused of running flexing front wings – although they also passed all FIA compliance tests.
This year’s Spanish Grand Prix will also mark a point when tougher tests will be implemented on the front wings.
However, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been critical of delaying the process that long after admitting being confused over the process, saying: “I think it’s good that they’ve addressed it. Obviously there’s been a change and a tidy up to the rear wing.
“The front wing gets changed at race nine. Why nine? I don’t know, but it is what it is. It’s the same for everyone.
“It just means that you’ve got a pre-race nine and a post-race nine set of issues to deal with, which inevitably will drive cost.”
