Despite bold claims in Shanghai, McLaren had to revise its rear wing setup to comply with stricter FIA flexing tests.
Despite public claims to the contrary, McLaren was indeed forced to modify its rear wing to comply with new FIA deformation limits introduced at the Chinese Grand Prix.
At the Shanghai race, McLaren stated it hadn’t changed its rear wing to meet the updated technical directive. But according to the FIA—and specifically Nikolas Tombazis, the governing body’s single-seater chief—that’s simply not true.
Tombazis revealed that McLaren’s MCL39 wouldn’t have passed the new load tests introduced in China without violating the latest flexing rules. The FIA found that the rear wing used in the season opener in Melbourne flexed by as much as 2 mm—well over the revised tolerance of 0.75 mm introduced at the second race, and the 0.5 mm limit that took effect at Suzuka.
Inspections showed McLaren made changes to stiffen the upper element of its wing between Australia and China. This change also seemed to impact their straight-line speed, with data showing a slight drop in top speed compared to rivals in Shanghai.
“Some teams were already compliant with the new tests in Australia,” said Tombazis. “But I believe four or five weren’t, and they had to take action.”
McLaren’s Rear Wing Wordplay Exposed
When asked specifically about McLaren’s claim that they already met the 0.75 mm tolerance in Australia and didn’t need to adjust anything, Tombazis replied carefully: “I don’t remember McLaren’s exact number, and I don’t want to single out teams… but I’m not sure it was under 0.75 mm.”
In short, McLaren did have to make changes—either to the wing itself or to how it operates. And according to Tombazis, the team’s comments were likely more about playing with words than sticking to facts.
“We saw a strong correlation between what the FIA test measured and what was visible from onboard cameras,” he added. “Teams that showed significant deflection in Australia passed the tests back then, but they wouldn’t have passed the stricter version in China without making adjustments.”
The new load tests, introduced to clamp down on mini-DRS-style flexing tricks, seem to be having the desired effect. But Tombazis made it clear the FIA will continue to monitor the situation throughout the season.
When asked if the issue was now closed, he said: “Confident might be a bit strong… but I hope this will be enough for now.”
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FIA Forces McLaren to Rein In Their Rear Wing Tricks
FIA Forces McLaren to Rein In Their Rear Wing Tricks
