Rear wing flex and FIA regulatory test 2021

[peaty]

There's no way they acted solely on a line from Hamilton in a post race interview. Much more likely it had been a discussion point behind the scenes and he mentioned it because he knew it was to be implemented imminently.

I haven't hear anything yet regarding Mercedes (or any other team) protesting or seeking clarification. That's why it's so worrying.
Even if he knew it was to be implemented imminently you still have to wonder why now and not at the end of last season or even mid season last year.

If something is pushing the grey area (ie: it's illegal, but there is no way to enforce it currently) and there is a provision in the rules allowing the sanctioning body to find a new way to enforce it at anytime, then you have to be okay with the fact that it can happen at any time. The grace period is super generous and it doesn't have to be. The FIA is totally in their right to ban it immediately.

We still having the same problem. As I said my problem is not about decision but the time and form. They have had a year to take action and they didn't. Yet Hamilton mentioned the wings and they stepped in! Even if there's no connection and there's a provision in the rules that looks super bad!

[El Scorchio]

The timeline could have deeper implications. Yes, the new test was planned long ago yet the FIA didn't implement it until a driver (LH) mentioned those wings. We have to wonder why. That's the real question of the whole things.
The rest is just a waste of time.
Remember, it's not the decision but the time and form.

There's no way they acted solely on a line from Hamilton in a post race interview. Much more likely it had been a discussion point behind the scenes and he mentioned it because he knew it was to be implemented imminently.

I haven't hear anything yet regarding Mercedes (or any other team) protesting or seeking clarification. That's why it's so worrying.
Even if he knew it was to be implemented imminently you still have to wonder why now and not at the end of last season or even mid season last year.

I believe this process they are going through now is probably to avoid the whole protest route. If there hasn't been an official one it's clear there would be one coming imminently. Think about all the hoopla over DAS last year. It was revealed in testing, it was questioned, debated and declared legal but I believe RBR didn't actually protest it until part way through the first race weekend?

As for the timing, that's obviously orchestrated by Mercedes (or another team who think they could get closer to the Red Bulls if they cannot run the wing) to come at an inconvenient moment for Red Bull. That's just gamesmanship. Play your cards at the right time for maximum damage. It's clearly been an open secret for a long time that one or more team's rear wings are doing this, but no-one obviously felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now.

[Just_a_fan]

I am absolutely certain this is just a timing thing, and Mercedes has been sitting on it until a time that it benefits them to get the rules around rear wing flex looked at more closely. Just so happens they are in a title fight with Red Bull, and this makes it easier for them to move resources to 2022 sooner.

A bit like Red Bull querying Ferrari's ICE a couple of years ago. Teams do it all the time. Sometimes it goes nowhere, sometimes it ends up in rules being changed.

[RZS10]

Think about all the hoopla over DAS last year. It was revealed in testing, it was questioned, debated and declared legal but I believe RBR didn't actually protest it until part way through the first race weekend?

They were very nice though in protesting it on the Friday, thus leaving Mercedes the opportunity to take it out had it been deemed illegal - could have done it on Saturday hoping Merc would lose pole, so fair play by them.

So _if_ any other team had a role in forcing the FIA's hand to finally bring new tests then it was also done in an 'ok' way - could have just protested after some race. Looking back at some other gray area details from the past the race result would have been confirmed (because the wing is obviously passing current testing) but the switch to the new method could then have been more drastic from one race to the other, so protesting after the first race of a double header would have been the perfect moment to be an a** ....

[El Scorchio]

Think about all the hoopla over DAS last year. It was revealed in testing, it was questioned, debated and declared legal but I believe RBR didn't actually protest it until part way through the first race weekend?

They were very nice though in protesting it on the Friday, thus leaving Mercedes the opportunity to take it out had it been deemed illegal - could have done it on Saturday hoping Merc would lose pole, so fair play by them.

So _if_ any other team had a role in forcing the FIA's hand to finally bring new tests then it was also done in an 'ok' way - could have just protested after some race. Looking back at some other gray area details from the past the race result would have been confirmed (because the wing is obviously passing current testing) but the switch to the new method could then have been more drastic from one race to the other, so protesting after the first race of a double header would have been the perfect moment to be an a** ....

Very true- and I mentioned this after the Spanish GP on the race thread, I think despite the competition and the political bluster there is quite a lot of cordiality between most of the teams/principals. I actually think Horner and Wolff are probably quite amiable and 'fair' toward each other underneath the things they have to say for politicking, their team's business interests, or 'the show'.

[ispano6]

That's about last year's wing anyways and the video that gossip is based on is a few posts up and there's no consistent dipping into corners ... but goes to show how easy one can convince people without evidence if they're susceptible enough based on 'team loyalty' ...lol

I'm talking about this year's Mercedes flappy wing video from Barcelona, which is clear evidence. It's no surprise that the loyal fans to Mercedes can't see the fault in their own team, that's been a known characteristic here and a major turnoff of this forum.

[peaty]

There's no way they acted solely on a line from Hamilton in a post race interview. Much more likely it had been a discussion point behind the scenes and he mentioned it because he knew it was to be implemented imminently.

I haven't hear anything yet regarding Mercedes (or any other team) protesting or seeking clarification. That's why it's so worrying.
Even if he knew it was to be implemented imminently you still have to wonder why now and not at the end of last season or even mid season last year.

I believe this process they are going through now is probably to avoid the whole protest route. If there hasn't been an official one it's clear there would be one coming imminently. Think about all the hoopla over DAS last year. It was revealed in testing, it was questioned, debated and declared legal but I believe RBR didn't actually protest it until part way through the first race weekend?

As for the timing, that's obviously orchestrated by Mercedes (or another team who think they could get closer to the Red Bulls if they cannot run the wing) to come at an inconvenient moment for Red Bull. That's just gamesmanship. Play your cards at the right time for maximum damage. It's clearly been an open secret for a long time that one or more team's rear wings are doing this, but no-one obviously felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now.

Ok...so according to you no one felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now, right!? So, who did it now? Mercedes talking to media!?

[El Scorchio]

I haven't hear anything yet regarding Mercedes (or any other team) protesting or seeking clarification. That's why it's so worrying.
Even if he knew it was to be implemented imminently you still have to wonder why now and not at the end of last season or even mid season last year.

I believe this process they are going through now is probably to avoid the whole protest route. If there hasn't been an official one it's clear there would be one coming imminently. Think about all the hoopla over DAS last year. It was revealed in testing, it was questioned, debated and declared legal but I believe RBR didn't actually protest it until part way through the first race weekend?

As for the timing, that's obviously orchestrated by Mercedes (or another team who think they could get closer to the Red Bulls if they cannot run the wing) to come at an inconvenient moment for Red Bull. That's just gamesmanship. Play your cards at the right time for maximum damage. It's clearly been an open secret for a long time that one or more team's rear wings are doing this, but no-one obviously felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now.

Ok...so according to you no one felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now, right!? So, who did it now? Mercedes talking to media!?

That's what I think. (and by the looks of it a fair few other people)
It possibly was Mercedes who kicked it off because now is a good strategic time for them to do so. Maximum pain for the opposition and gain for themselves at a time where they most need it. Could have been Ferrari or McLaren though, if they think they have a chance of catching RBR or feel a threat from Alpine behind them.

Why are you so obsessed with who did it?

[RZS10]

And why is he repeating the same thing over and over?

That's about last year's wing anyways and the video that gossip is based on is a few posts up and there's no consistent dipping into corners ... but goes to show how easy one can convince people without evidence if they're susceptible enough based on 'team loyalty' ...lol

I'm talking about this year's Mercedes flappy wing video from Barcelona, which is clear evidence. It's no surprise that the loyal fans to Mercedes can't see the fault in their own team, that's been a known characteristic here and a major turnoff of this forum.

Well you quoted a post that had an article about last years wing with the (unproven) claim that the wing "snapped" into corners and wrote "It is indeed noticeable that the Mercedes wing dips on one side of the rear wing instead of uniformly." - and yes, the 2020 wing wobbles and doesn't tilt consistently or, as you put it, 'uniformly' - this isn't the case for the 2021 wing though and the supposed snap of the 2020 version isn't visible in the actual video (only in the faked gif), that's why i assumed you were talking about the old wing.

There's many posts where i write about the Merc's wing flex including videos and gifs, i wrote multiple times that all wings so far were legal and that maybe all teams would have to change their wings for the new test - so i don't know where you get the "loyal fans to Mercedes can't see the fault in their own team" nonsense from?

Unless you mean other parts that wobble, which is of course very clear but not relevant to the discussion about rear wings.

Here's one of the aforementioned posts:
viewtopic.php?p=970853#p970853
and here another one:
viewtopic.php?p=971767#p971767

I'm not going to link every single post but just so you know, you are very wrong in your assumption/claim.

Not everyone sees the world in black/white or 'us vs. them' - i'm mostly making observations and posting the results.

[peaty]

I believe this process they are going through now is probably to avoid the whole protest route. If there hasn't been an official one it's clear there would be one coming imminently. Think about all the hoopla over DAS last year. It was revealed in testing, it was questioned, debated and declared legal but I believe RBR didn't actually protest it until part way through the first race weekend?

As for the timing, that's obviously orchestrated by Mercedes (or another team who think they could get closer to the Red Bulls if they cannot run the wing) to come at an inconvenient moment for Red Bull. That's just gamesmanship. Play your cards at the right time for maximum damage. It's clearly been an open secret for a long time that one or more team's rear wings are doing this, but no-one obviously felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now.

Ok...so according to you no one felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now, right!? So, who did it now? Mercedes talking to media!?

That's what I think. (and by the looks of it a fair few other people)
It possibly was Mercedes who kicked it off because now is a good strategic time for them to do so. Maximum pain for the opposition and gain for themselves at a time where they most need it. Could have been Ferrari or McLaren though, if they think they have a chance of catching RBR or feel a threat from Alpine behind them.

Why are you so obsessed with who did it?

We always know who is protesting and/or seeking for clarification. There are a lot of example: rbr vs mercedes over DAS, Renalt vs AM over the pink mercedes, rbr vs ferrari over the engine...this time around all we have is just Mercedes talking to the media.

[El Scorchio]

That's about last year's wing anyways and the video that gossip is based on is a few posts up and there's no consistent dipping into corners ... but goes to show how easy one can convince people without evidence if they're susceptible enough based on 'team loyalty' ...lol

I'm talking about this year's Mercedes flappy wing video from Barcelona, which is clear evidence. It's no surprise that the loyal fans to Mercedes can't see the fault in their own team, that's been a known characteristic here and a major turnoff of this forum.

But as far as we know the Mercedes rear wing isn't under scrutiny and neither are the t wing or shark fin. So it's not really a point for valid discussion at the moment, irrespective of your personal view on it. Sure we can debate it if it becomes an actual issue but at the moment it's just you saying you don't like what you see.

[El Scorchio]

Ok...so according to you no one felt the need to try to get the powers that be to act on it until now, right!? So, who did it now? Mercedes talking to media!?

That's what I think. (and by the looks of it a fair few other people)
It possibly was Mercedes who kicked it off because now is a good strategic time for them to do so. Maximum pain for the opposition and gain for themselves at a time where they most need it. Could have been Ferrari or McLaren though, if they think they have a chance of catching RBR or feel a threat from Alpine behind them.

Why are you so obsessed with who did it?

We always know who is protesting and/or seeking for clarification. There are a lot of example: rbr vs mercedes over DAS, Renalt vs AM over the pink mercedes, rbr vs ferrari over the engine...this time around all we have is just Mercedes talking to the media.

That's all that's in the public domain. You and I both have zero clue what's been discussed about rear wings amongst the teams and the officials. It's going to be a lot more than some comment from a driver.

[RZS10]

But as far as we know the Mercedes rear wing isn't under scrutiny.

It could very well be though, there's a distinct possibility that the wing, despite seemingly tilting the least, might not pass the new test because of not being rigid enough otherwise.

[El Scorchio]

But as far as we know the Mercedes rear wing isn't under scrutiny.

It could very well be though, there's a distinct possibility that the wing, despite seemingly tilting the least, might not pass the new test because of not being rigid enough otherwise.

This is very true, (made sure I added 'as far as we know!') but for now all we know is that the ones which show that backward movement definitely are. I'd be very surprised if Mercedes were in any way instigating the new testing if they thought they'd fall foul of it in any way. I think we're all pretty sure that this has probably come about from them?

[dans79]

I think we're all pretty sure that this has probably come about from them?

I'd be shocked if it wasn't initiated by them. Hamilton made the public statement, but i'd be willing to bet a group of Mercedes engineers did a non trivial amount of research before Lewis became aware of it.