Mercedes warns F1 flexi-wing saga could lead to Baku protest
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has indicated that Formula 1’s bendy wing saga will head to a protest in Baku if teams are allowed to continue running them.
Amid concern from the FIA that a number of teams were exploiting flexible rear wings to get a straightline speed boost, new rigidity tests are being introduced from the French Grand Prix.
The timing means that those outfits which have been running the trick wings – which include Red Bull, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo – remain free to gain from them at the next race in Baku.
It is a situation that has upset both Mercedes and McLaren, especially as the Baku track layout is one of the best for running flexible wings.
Both teams are in discussion with the FIA regarding the timing of the new tests, but it is now looking increasingly likely that the matter will be heading for a protest.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the Monaco Grand Prix, Wolff was clear that if rival outfits are allowed to continue running the flexible wings in Baku, then action would be taken in lodging a complaint with the stewards.
“Yeah, I think if the limbo wings are on in Baku, with the advantage that we see, it's going to go to the stewards,” said Wolff.
“And if the stewards are not enough, then it's going to go to the ICA [International Court of Appeal].
“So I guess the FIA is going to clarify things before Baku, because if not, it could be very messy.”
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl said that how the FIA responds in the next week to the situation for Baku will be key for deciding what course of action his own outfit takes.
“Obviously we are independent of what Mercedes is doing,” he said. “We have a dialogue on this matter with the FIA as well at the moment.
“And as we said, we are absolutely not happy that cars that from our point of view are clearly not within the regulations, and after it got detected that they're not within the regulations, that our competitors can keep running these cars.
“That's why we have this dialogue with the FIA and then we have to take it from there in the next week.”
Wolff has dismissed worries that rival Red Bull could protest Mercedes’ flexible front wing in a counter attack, as he suggests that there is a strong legal case behind any action his outfit takes to sort the matter in Baku.
“We've analysed the front wings, and they are bending exactly the same way as the Red Bull - so we could be protesting each other on the front wing also,” he said.
“But it's clear that the rear wing bends more than it should. Under the rules, it has been classified as non-conformant. But we are left in a vacuum where it's a new test that will be introduced after Baku. So it is what it is. But we are pretty robust in our legal position.”
Related video
Mercedes mistakes show Red Bull it needs to keep up pressure
Mercedes thought Hamilton's strategy had "bigger potential"
The factors that could negate Red Bull's practice gap to Mercedes
Mercedes led the way in practice for Formula 1’s first race in Jeddah, where Red Bull was off the pace on both single-lap and long runs. But, if Max Verstappen can reverse the results on Saturday, factors familiar in motorsport’s main electric single-seater category could be decisive in another close battle with Lewis Hamilton...
Why Norris doesn’t expect Mr Nice Guy praise for much longer
Earning praise from rivals has been a welcome sign that Lando Norris is becoming established among Formula 1's elite. But the McLaren driver is confident that his team's upward curve can put him in the mix to contend for titles in the future, when he's hoping the compliments will be replaced by being deemed an equal adversary
What Ferrari still needs to improve to return to F1 title contention
After a disastrous 2020 in which it slumped to sixth in the F1 constructors' standings, Ferrari has rebounded strongly and is on course to finish third - despite regulations that forced it to carryover much of its forgettable SF1000 machine. Yet while it can be pleased with its improvement, there are still steps it must make if 2022 is to yield a return to winning ways
How F1 teams and personnel react in pressurised situations
OPINION: The pressure is firmly on Red Bull and Mercedes as Formula 1 2021 embarks on its final double-header. How the respective teams deal with that will be a crucial factor in deciding the outcome of the drivers' and constructors' championships, as Motorsport.com's technical consultant and ex-McLaren F1 engineer Tim Wright explains.
How getting sacked from Benetton made Mercedes' Allison
He’s had a hand in world championship-winning Formula 1 cars for Benetton, Renault and Mercedes, and was also a cog in the Schumacher-Ferrari axis. Having recently ‘moved upstairs’ as Mercedes chief technical officer, James Allison tells Stuart Codling about his career path and why being axed by Benetton was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
The remarkable qualities that propelled Kubica’s F1 comeback
It’s easy to look at Robert Kubica’s second Formula 1 career and feel a sense of sadness that he didn’t reach the heights for which he seemed destined. But as Ben Anderson discovered, performance and results are almost meaningless in this context – something more fundamental and incredible happened…
The humbling changes Ricciardo made to deliver for McLaren
From being lapped by his own teammate in Monaco to winning at Monza, it’s been a tumultuous first season at McLaren for Daniel Ricciardo. But, as he tells STUART CODLING, there’s more to the story of his turnaround than having a lovely summer holiday during Formula 1's summer break...
The potential benefits of losing the F1 constructors' title
As the battle continues to rage over the F1 2021 drivers' championship, teams up and down the grid are turning their attentions to the prize money attributed to each position in the constructors' standings. But F1's sliding scale rules governing wind tunnel and CFD use will soften the blow for those who miss out on the top places