The ongoing saga of Formula 1’s flexi-wings has taken a fresh twist, leaving Red Bull’s Christian Horner pleased yet puzzled by the FIA’s latest moves.
While the governing body has introduced tougher regulations for 2025, the staggered timeline for these changes has sparked debate among the paddock’s top teams.
Flexi-wing discussions have long been a hot topic in F1, and 2024 saw Red Bull and Ferrari cast suspicious eyes on McLaren and Mercedes. After deploying cameras to monitor front-wing flexing, the FIA concluded no rules were broken. However, they’ve now tightened the screws for 2025.
From the season opener at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16, rear wings will face stricter deflection tests. Front wings, though, won’t see similar scrutiny until Round 9 at the Spanish Grand Prix—a delay that has Horner scratching his head.
Speaking at the F1 75 season launch in London, Horner said, “It’s great they’ve tackled it. The rear wing rules have been tidied up, but the front wing switch at race nine? I don’t get why nine. It’s the same for all teams, sure, but it splits the season into pre- and post-race nine challenges. That’s bound to push costs up.”
Ferrari, meanwhile, is unfazed by the timing. Team principal Fred Vasseur told reporters, “It’s no problem for us. Clarity is key. Knowing we need a front-wing update by Barcelona gives us a clear target.
“Sure, it’s right after Monaco, so we’ll need a full package ready, but it’s workable. The real nightmare would’ve been a mid-season technical directive out of nowhere—that’s a planning disaster. This way, we all know what’s coming and can adapt.”
Defending Constructors’ champions, McLaren have also confirmed their MCL39’s front wing will need minor tweaks to meet the FIA’s new tests.
Team principal Andrea Stella, however, brushed off any concerns. “No headaches here,” he assured Sky Sports News. “We’re barely adjusting for the season start, and race nine just needs a small tweak. People are making a big fuss, but for us, the real focus is elsewhere—chasing those crucial tenths of a second. That’s where our team’s hard work truly shines.”
The 2025 season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix, a 58-lap battle around the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park circuit. As teams gear up, the flexi-wing saga remains a subplot to watch—proof that in F1, even the smallest details can stir up a storm.
