F1’s Flexi-Wing Fiasco Sparks Regulatory Uproar

You see, nothing in life is truly rigid—except maybe a teacher’s opinion on late homework. That’s precisely why F1 cars can’t have completely stiff bodywork either. There’s always some room for flex, and boy, have F1 teams taken that to heart. For years, there’s been a merry dance between the teams and F1’s governing body over how much flex is too much flex.

Measuring this flex isn’t a walk in the park either. That’s because the car parts are designed to bend more at higher speeds, precisely when they’re ripping down the track at a speed that’d make your grandma clutch her pearls. So, trying to measure it while the car is parked is like trying to measure how fast Usain Bolt can run by watching him tie his shoes.

Now, there are ways to do a static check—think of poking and prodding the car in the garage—but these aren’t foolproof. Teams are hip to this, so they build a ‘flex cushion’ into their designs, ensuring they pass the static tests while still flexing like an Instagram model in the aerodynamic sweet spot when in motion.

Every so often, though, some team takes it too far. They push the boundaries until someone in the FIA decides enough is enough, and that’s where we are now. The FIA sent out a memo last week saying that stricter rules are incoming, just in time for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Before, the rule book focused on the rear wings. But guess what? The FIA is branching out, now looking at front wings, too. Because variety is the spice of life, right? Teams have been getting crafty, especially with their rear-wing endplates and mounting pillars. They now have to submit all kinds of detailed drawings to show they’re playing by the rules. And let’s face it, the name of the game is reducing drag while also maximizing downforce, kind of like having your cake and eating it, too.

Historically, teams have used two major tricks to cut down on drag: closing the gaps between wing elements and rotating the whole assembly. But the FIA has been on to them, at least since the mid-2000s. They’ve introduced markers on the wings, first showcased at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2021, to keep tabs on the situation. These markers give the FIA a way to track how much the wing flexes during the race, which is like having a nanny cam for F1 cars.

Recently, Alpine and Aston Martin have shaken up the game, unveiling similar yet subtly different rear-wing solutions at the Monaco Grand Prix. The spotlight is now on how the metal bracket’s position affects the wing’s efficiency. With teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, AlphaTauri, and McLaren jumping on this trend, it seems the rear wing saga has more plot twists than a Christopher Nolan movie.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the book is closed on flexing innovations. The carbon fiber components offer enough leeway for more groundbreaking tweaks, just waiting for some genius in a garage to figure them out.

Meanwhile, in a plot twist, the FIA is also eyeballing front wings in 2023. Teams are exploring how these wings connect to the nose of the car, giving them a new playground for aerodynamic tricks. It’s like giving a kid a new box of crayons and then telling them they can only color within the lines.

This regulatory shake-up is casting a wide net to snuff out any flexing trickeries, both present and future. However, you can bet your last dollar that this isn’t the end. Teams will keep poking around the rulebook, looking for the next loophole to slide through. Because, in F1, if you’re not bending the rules, you’re probably not trying hard enough.

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More about Flexi-Wing Fiasco

• FIA Official Website
• History of Aerodynamics in F1
• Understanding F1 Technical Directives
• 2023 F1 Season Regulations
• Singapore Grand Prix Official Site
• Overview of F1 Car Components
• The Physics of F1: How Aerodynamics Rule the Sport
• Monaco Grand Prix: Innovations and Highlights
• Aston Martin’s Aerodynamic Strategy
• Alpine F1 Team Technical Insights
• The Evolution of F1 Car Design Over the Years