FIA says McLaren wing legal after Red Bull query

McLaren overtook Red Bull in the constructors' championship at last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Formula 1’s governing body the FIA says McLaren’s rear wing complies with the rules after rivals Red Bull and Ferrari raised questions about its legality.

Television footage from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend appeared to show a part of McLaren’s rear wing flexing upwards on the straight.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez has called the wing "out of the regulations" and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has said it is “controversial to say the least”.

An FIA spokesperson said the McLaren had passed all tests with regard to flexibility of bodywork and complied with the rules.

They added that the FIA was “reviewing data and any additional evidence that has emerged from the Baku GP and considering any mitigating measures for future implementation”.

A McLaren spokesperson said their car was “legal within all the deflection tests and complies with all the regulations”.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who won the race in Baku, said: “It’s legal. We get tested a lot and it passes. It is certainly not the magic ticket or bullet for why we’re competitive. I am pretty happy with it.”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is leading the championship by 59 points from McLaren’s Lando Norris, who has been closing in on the Dutchman in recent races following a drop in Red Bull’s competitiveness.

After winning seven of the first 10 races of the season, Verstappen has not won for seven races, while Norris and team-mate Piastri have won three of the past five between them.

F1’s rules dictate that aerodynamic components must be “must be rigidly secured and immobile”.

The McLaren rear wing appears to flex at the front corners of the flap as speed increases on the straight. The flap is the upper part of the wing that flips upwards when the DRS overtaking aid is deployed.

This creates a larger gap between the main plane and the flap, which may reduce drag and increase straight-line speed.

The wing then returns to its normal position for the corners, increasing downforce and grip.

The FIA statement said: “The FIA is closely monitoring the flexibility of bodywork on all cars and reserves the right to request teams to make modifications at any point during the season.

“However, if a team successfully passes all deflection tests and adheres to the regulations and technical directives, they are deemed to be in full compliance, and no further action will be taken.

“The FIA is currently reviewing data and any additional evidence that has emerged from the Baku GP and is considering any mitigating measures for future implementation.

“This is part of the standard process when scrutineering technical legality, and the FIA retains the authority to introduce regulatory changes during the season if required.”

A Red Bull spokesperson declined to comment.

The debate follows a similar discussion about the flexibility of front wings on the McLaren and Mercedes, about which Red Bull also raised questions.

The front wings were also declared to comply with the regulations.