Flexiwings 2025

[Luscion]

Found this interesting, SmilexTech replying to a question on twitter

Question:

PG sorry, how do they fix the out of parameter wings without going through the factory since they are flying from Australia to China?

Reply:

in fact the teams are very angry after seeing the communication this morning

it is precisely for this reason that it would not surprise me if the teams asked for a postponement of the entry into force, after this morning's communication

[Cs98]

The article is missleading because it uses the mini DRS terminology incorrectly. This is not about the mini DRS exploit specifically. That got clamped down on last year already. This is about the general flex tolerances in the rear wing and the implications of the flex.

The new technical directive is more restrictive in the allowed tolerance of the gap increase between the main plane and the movable wing (DRS Flap). It seems the FIA has noticed that the flexing under load of the main-plane (which is the 'bottom flap') on some of the teams rear wings, is creating a bigger gap to the DRS flap (or top flap) than they would want to.

This nice illustration by @ScarbsTech can help understand better :

https://i.imgur.com/IizQ32z.jpeg

The mainplane is flexing under load and opening up a gap with the top flap.

You can kind of see it from the testing footage on the McLaren (ignore the arrow, that's irrelevant. it was there because the guy who made the video first was inquiring about the gap at the side, which is actually fine, just a design choice).

Just notice how the entire assembly flexes 'backwards', including the mainplane, and how that opens up the gap underneath the flap a little bit more. The gap opening up is barely visible in this video though, too low quality, but presumably FIA had high quality sensors to monitor this thing in Australia.

https://i.imgur.com/mij1s5G.gif

The article reads like this is precisely about the "mini-DRS" as we saw it in Baku last year. They are tightening up the tolerance for flex which affects specifically the slot gap, which is exactly how mini-DRS worked. Flex in the RW assembly as a whole might give the illusion that the slot gap is getting bigger, because the angle is opening up from the perspective of the camera, but the slot gap isn't actually getting bigger. Only when the DRS flap flexes independent of the mainplane does the mini-DRS phenomenon arise. That's what this rule change is targetting as far as I can read.

[Sevach]

[organic]

Red Bull have pushed hard for this behind the scenes. They seem to believe McLaren is exploiting this a lot.

They've cried wolf before though (water in tyres)

[SonicF1]

The rules amendment for Chinese GP with the slot gap not varying more than 0.5mm with a tolerance of 0.25mm per applied vertical 75kg load…. should prove to be sufficient…. shouldn’t it? Having said that, with all the teams applying the loophole, McLaren was the only team who enjoyed car set up to extend the tires life. Expect McLaren to dominate for the next couple races….unless Mercedes and/or Ferrari have a simple adjustment to make. Red Bull already ceding 3 or 5 races to apply a solution.

[chrisc90]

I’d imagine there is quite a bit of evidence that’s been shown to the FIA, or they’ve seen, in order to bring a change this quickly.

[napoleon1981]

Those flexi, mini DRS wings, could definitely bring a huge advantage. It allows you to run more DF for free and keep those tires alive.

Its understandable that RB is advocating against this. They themselves pushed the envelope years ago and were whistled back instantaneously after Lewis starting whining about bendy wings from his cockpit. I have been baffled that this has been going on for so long.

[SonicF1]

But, all the teams are benefiting from the same advantage. Perhaps McLaren better utilize this loophole to minimize tire degradation

[markc]

If you can't beat them, lobby for change! It's as legitimate a move as any in F1 and has been used many times to curb a team's advantage.

[organic]

I’d imagine there is quite a bit of evidence that’s been shown to the FIA, or they’ve seen, in order to bring a change this quickly.

They installed dedicated wing-watching cams for Australia via TD, saw that excess flex was occurring and immediately want to make the tests much stricter with a second TD. It's quite simple

[dialtone]

FIA has only themselves to blame. Literally everyone saw this coming after they didn’t DQ MCL in Baku but instead communicated they were going to be fine with flexiwings. This was basically an area with little attention until that moment, at which point each team poured resources in it because it gives huge benefits and it’s loosely policed.

They should be “furious” about their own incompetence.

[hollus]

[fourmula1]

Can anyone summarize what exactly they are testing for? Is it the rearward flex of the entire assembly? Is it the horizontal gap between the drs flap and main plane?

[abhi1200]

Check this video from @AlbertFabrega to understand mclaren rear mini drs wing[media]https://x.com/Rm_Pole/status/1901629345 ... vRjaw&s=09[/media]

[TNTHead]

Is this the new normal, issueing directives during the season to reduce advantages of any team? This last year of the rule set should see for very close racing, isn't it. No team should spoil that party.