FIA cracks down on mini-DRS: Furious at teams’ exploits with new ruling to be enforced in China as FIA’s war on wing flex continues – The FIA’s battle against excessive rear wing flex is intensifying as the governing body moves quickly to introduce another technical directive ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. Following the first implementation of the updated TD018, aimed at curbing wing flex, in Australia, the FIA has confirmed that further measures will be introduced in Shanghai.
The issue at the heart of this crackdown is the so-called ‘mini-DRS’ effect, a phenomenon where teams are alleged to manipulate rear wing deflection to gain a straight-line speed advantage by circumventing the limitations of static testing. This loophole, which has been in the spotlight since late 2024, has become a growing concern for the FIA, prompting a rigorous technical inspection during the Australian Grand Prix.
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Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Waché, was particularly outspoken about the issue in Bahrain, saying: “We see that someone is still using the Mini-DRS.”
His comments now appear to have been borne out by the FIA’s findings in Melbourne. Advanced, high-resolution cameras installed on the cars during Friday’s free practice sessions provided incontrovertible evidence that several teams had found ways to circumvent the existing restrictions.
As a result, the FIA has reacted aggressively and signalled its frustration with the teams. A new technical directive will come into force at the Chinese Grand Prix, tightening the rules even further.
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FIA monitoring reveals clear exploitation
During the Australian Grand Prix, the FIA introduced revised Articles 3.15.17 and 3.15.12b, which imposed stricter static tests on rear wing flex. These rules specifically targeted the beam wing and its movement, but early indications were that teams were still finding ways to exploit the marginal flexibility within the regulations.
With additional monitoring in Melbourne, FIA officials saw clear evidence of excessive deflection. Footage from ultra-high-resolution cameras set up to monitor the rear wings in real time left no doubt that the so-called mini-DRS concept was still being used.
This prompted the FIA’s technical team, led by Jan Monchaux, to call for an immediate revision of the technical regulations before the Shanghai race.
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Stricter tests and tighter tolerances
The FIA’s next step is to introduce an even stricter test for rear wing deflection, specifically targeting the slot gap between the main wing and the movable wing. Currently, the test requires the gap to be no more than 2mm when a load of 750N is applied to the wing tips. However, from China this will be drastically reduced to just 0.5mm – a 75% reduction in tolerance.
Due to the short notice, teams will be given a temporary allowance of 0.25mm for the Chinese Grand Prix only. However, this will be fully enforced for subsequent races. The test itself will remain the same, with the vertical load applied to both the left and right sides of the wing assembly in a defined area between the main wing and the movable flap.
This new directive will severely limit how much movement teams can extract from their rear wings, potentially forcing major aerodynamic adjustments and impacting on car performance, particularly for those who have been heavily reliant on this effect.
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Widespread problem, but some teams may suffer more
Interestingly, the FIA is not targeting a single team, but rather a widespread problem that has affected several top contenders.
The DRS effect in Australia showed that all the leading teams – Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari – achieved similar straight-line speed gains when using the system. The data showed an average speed gain of 23km/h across the grid (+24km/h for Mercedes, +23km/h for McLaren and Red Bull, +22km/h for Ferrari), which equates to an increase in top speed of around 8%.
However, while the crackdown is generalised, some teams may be hit harder than others. Those who have built their aerodynamic concepts around subtle bending mechanisms could suffer serious setbacks, forcing them to make urgent changes to their designs. This regulation therefore has the potential to shake up the competitive order, especially if certain teams struggle to adapt ahead of Shanghai.
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FIA’s growing frustration with teams’ tactics
This latest directive underlines the FIA’s growing frustration with teams who continue to push the boundaries of what is legal. Despite numerous rule changes and tightening measures, the teams have continued to find creative ways around the technical restrictions, maintaining an aerodynamic arms race.
The governing body now appears determined to put an end to this particular loophole, making it clear that further attempts to exploit wing flex will not be tolerated. With the Chinese Grand Prix fast approaching, teams will have little time to ensure compliance with the revised regulations, potentially shaking up the pecking order as the season progresses.
The question now is whether the FIA’s tightened measures will finally curb the Mini-DRS effect, or whether teams will once again find new ways to circumvent the rules.
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The legal framework revisited and agreed once more happens every few years and is crucial for the day to day running of the sport. It dates back to the 1980’s when the first draft ended the era of ‘the handshake’ which had seen numerous political disputes plague F1 at the time.
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