FIA ramps up rear wing checks in Shanghai. Alpine makes urgent updates, while McLaren stands its ground with no changes required.
In Shanghai, the spotlight is on four Formula 1 teams as the FIA closely inspects rear wing designs for compliance with updated regulations. Among them: McLaren, Alpine, Haas, and Ferrari.
McLaren in the Clear – For Now
Despite being flagged by the FIA, McLaren insists it’s business as usual. Lando Norris denied on Thursday that the team needed to alter its MCL39 rear wing. McLaren’s engineering chief, Neil Houldey, acknowledged that the FIA had taken notice of their design, but hinted other teams may be pushing the limits more aggressively.
“Looking at some test footage and images, it’s clear a few teams are exploring the mini-DRS effect more than we are,” Houldey said.
McLaren, tested earlier in Melbourne, says their current design already meets the FIA’s updated tolerance for wing deflection. “Luckily, we were within the limits already. We didn’t have to change anything heading into Shanghai,” Houldey confirmed.
One point of curiosity is whether McLaren’s low-downforce rear wing—used in testing and trialed in Australia—might be stretching the rules. Houldey said that specific part hasn’t gone through FIA testing yet but remains confident it would also pass.
“If needed, yes, building a new one quickly would’ve been tough,” he added. “Thankfully, we didn’t have to go down that road.”
Alpine Makes Necessary Adjustments
Alpine, on the other hand, did have to take action. Their Race Director, Dave Greenwood, confirmed that the team made modifications at their Enstone factory this week.
“We had to make sure we were fully compliant with the updated flex rules,” Greenwood explained. “That meant some extra work, but everything’s sorted now.”
He didn’t go into detail about the changes but emphasized that the team had to act fast: “There wasn’t time for anything radical—just enough to meet the regulations.”
Haas and Ferrari Remain Quiet – For Now
Haas has already admitted it may need to tweak its setup to stay within the new rules. Ferrari, the fourth team reportedly under review, has yet to comment on whether any modifications were necessary for Shanghai.
As teams continue to fine-tune their designs in response to evolving interpretations of aero rules, one thing is clear: flexibility in engineering—and quick turnarounds—are more crucial than ever in today’s Formula 1.
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Alpine Tweaks Wing – McLaren Stays Firm in FIA Row Alpine Tweaks Wing – McLaren Stays Firm in FIA Row
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