Last Updated on June 19 2024, 7:56 am
In recent F1 races, Ferrari and McLaren have made significant strides, particularly in closing the performance gap with Red Bull Racing. However, questions have been raised about the legitimacy of these improvements. World champion Max Verstappen’s team has questioned whether everything has been above board, leading to speculation about possible regulatory breaches by their rivals.
Red Bull suspect that Ferrari, McLaren and even Mercedes may be exploiting a loophole in the regulations to gain an advantage. The claim has been reported by the prestigious Auto, Motor und Sport magazine, which suggests that Red Bull officials are increasingly suspicious that the new front wings of these teams do not fully comply with the strict regulations.
Specifically, Red Bull is accusing Ferrari and McLaren of designing wings that bend beyond the permissible limits, thereby gaining a significant aerodynamic advantage.
Allegations of flexible front wings
The crux of Red Bull’s ‘cheating’ allegations is the flexibility of the front wings. According to Red Bull, these components, particularly those used by Ferrari and McLaren, can bend more than the regulations allow. Red Bull are becoming increasingly vocal about their concerns, pointing the finger at what they believe is a significant breach of the rules.
Red Bull’s suspicions did not stop at Ferrari and McLaren. According to Auto, Motor und Sport, Red Bull even tried to persuade Aston Martin to protest against the allegedly too-flexible wings.
However, Aston Martin refused, reportedly because they are developing a similar solution themselves. This refusal suggests a wider trend of teams pushing the boundaries of compliance in the pursuit of performance gains.
Official compliance versus suspected infringements
It is important to note that the Ferrari and McLaren front wings have passed official FIA tests, meaning that they are officially compliant. The debate hinges on whether these wings can pass the tests despite the fact that they may bend beyond the permitted limits in actual race conditions. This grey area in the regulations has left room for interpretation and suspicion.
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Mercedes’ position on the issue
Mercedes have also reportedly had doubts about the front wing designs of Ferrari and McLaren. However, unlike Red Bull, Mercedes have chosen not to lodge a formal protest.
Instead, they have concentrated on developing their own “legal flexible wings” at their Brackley base, according to Auto, Motor und Sport. This approach is indicative of Mercedes’ strategy of innovating within the existing regulatory framework, rather than challenging the interpretations of its competitors.
The full implications of these allegations remain uncertain. It is unclear whether Red Bull will pursue formal action or continue to raise its concerns informally. Until any official complaints are made and investigations carried out, Max Verstappen and his team-mates will have to deal with their suspicions and concentrate on their performance on the track.
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Highest Irony: The historical context and early innovations
These recent accusations of ‘bendy wings’ is perhaps the highest level of irony imaginable when considering Red Bull’s rich history in the practice.
Movable aerodynamics had been banned from Formula 1 since 1969. In 1972, however, the Lotus 72D was fitted with a rubber bushing on the rear wing mount, allowing it to change angle at high speed. This clever mechanism went unnoticed for some time, until McLaren’s Denny Hulme noticed an unusual shift in Emerson Fittipaldi’s helmet position on long straights.
Although Lotus removed the rubber bushing to avoid detection, this early example of aerodynamic innovation laid the foundations for future developments.
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Red Bull’s dominance in 2011
Fast forward to the 2011 season and Red Bull Racing began to attract attention for their pioneering use of flexible front wings. Observers, including those at McLaren, noticed that the front wings of the Red Bull cars seemed to bend and sometimes even touch the ground, causing sparks. It was estimated that the front wing endplates were bending by up to 24mm.
Despite passing the FIA’s deflection tests, McLaren pushed for an investigation into Red Bull’s front wings, leading the FIA to revise the test parameters. The deflection test was increased from a 50kg load with a 10mm deflection to a 100kg load with a 20mm deflection.
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The science behind flexibility
The key to Red Bull’s flexible wings was the ingenious use of carbon fibre. This material can be engineered to behave differently under different loads through a special layering process.
The theory was that it was this intricate layering of the carbon composite material that allowed the wing to flex outwards and downwards. The University of Bristol’s Department of Aerospace Engineering explained that, if properly designed, laminated composites could exhibit elastic coupling properties that would induce adaptive change. This concept, if proven, could provide a passive means of controlling wing twisting.
Rival teams scramble to catch up
Despite the controversy, Red Bull’s front wings passed all FIA tests back in 2014. Very much like the most recent news with a now dominant Max Verstappen driving his Red Bull car.
Back in 2011, this forced rival teams to develop similar solutions. Achieving the desired performance of the front wing required not only advanced simulation technology, but also a deep understanding of how to orient the carbon fibre layers to achieve the required elasticity.
Many rival teams were initially taken by surprise, believing that the stricter 2011 tests would rule out the possibility of a functional flexible wing. However, Red Bull’s legal yet innovative approach demonstrated that significant aerodynamic benefits could still be achieved within the regulatory framework.
The topic of Red Bull ‘bendy wings’ again cropped up in 2021, of which the team were cleared.
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Ironic accusations in recent seasons
The irony of recent accusations against Ferrari and McLaren for allegedly exploiting flexible front wings is palpable, given Red Bull’s historic mastery of the technology. Once at the forefront of this innovation, Red Bull now find themselves questioning whether their rivals are pushing the boundaries of regulatory compliance too far.
While Ferrari and McLaren’s wings have passed official FIA tests, Red Bull suspect that they may still be bending beyond permissible limits during races, mirroring their own past tactics.
The ongoing debate over flexible front wings highlights the continuing evolution of aerodynamic technology in Formula One. Red Bull Racing’s pioneering efforts in 2011 set a benchmark for innovation within the sport and Red Bull’s current allegations reflect the ever-present tension between innovation and compliance, a dynamic that continues to drive the sport forward.
As the F1 season progresses, these historical parallels underscore the delicate dance between technical ingenuity and the quest for competitive ‘fairness’.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
