McLaren rear wing car setup controversy distracts rivals, says team boss

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has deemed the rear wing controversy that erupted during the Singapore Grand Prix as a "red herring," suggesting it has served as a beneficial distraction for his team, even if the speculated wing design may no longer be used.

Concerns about the McLaren rear wing first emerged during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which saw McLaren's Oscar Piastri take the win. A video surfaced showing the rear wing appearing to flex at high speeds, sparking debates about a potential "mini-DRS" drag reduction advantage. This led to rival teams scrutinizing McLaren's car setup.

Although the wing passed all required tests, McLaren agreed to modify it for future races after consulting with the governing body, the FIA. Notably, the redesigned wing was not slated to be used in Singapore due to the circuit's unique demands.

Stella downplayed the significance of the controversy, labeling it as a "red herring" and noting that such adjustments are routine for the team.

"For us, making changes is pretty much transparent, so we may as well do it," Stella remarked to reporters at the Marina Bay circuit before the race. "It won't be a big consequence from a performance point of view."

The McLaren boss emphasized that the heightened focus on their rear wing was actually a strategic advantage. "Personally, as the principal of McLaren, I find that so much attention on our rear wing is just good news because it means that opponents are not focusing on themselves," Stella added. "And Formula 1 is such a marginal game, it's so complicated... When I see that there's so much attention from other teams, it means that they will be doing work, they will be doing analysis, they will be talking to the FIA."

He further elaborated on the limited resources teams have: "There's limited time and limited energy. They're using this time and energy to chase something that I think is a red herring. So for me as McLaren, that's just good news."

McLaren's performance in Sunday's race further solidified their standing. Lando Norris dominated from pole position, winning by a significant margin of 20.945 seconds over Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen, whose lead is now 52 points in the drivers' standings. Meanwhile, Piastri, who started the race in fifth, secured a podium finish in third place. This strong showing extended McLaren's lead in the constructors' championship to 41 points over Red Bull.

Stella reiterated McLaren's focus post-race, stating, "Definitely the drivers' championship is still on, the mission is on."

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