FIA to enforce stricter ‘flexi-wing' regulations for 2025 F1 season
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Governing body announces stricter load tests for front and rear wings.
The FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, has announced the introduction of new load tests aimed at curbing the use of flexible front and rear wings, a controversial topic in the sport. The enhanced measures are set to be implemented gradually throughout the 2025 season.
Starting with the campaign's kick-off in Australia on March 16, rear wing tests will be expanded. By the Spanish Grand Prix on June 1, additional front wing tests will also come into force.
"Following further analysis carried out by the FIA single seater department after the conclusion of the 2024 season, we are committed to ensure that bodywork flexibility is no longer a point of contention for the 2025 season," the FIA stated on Friday.
The phased introduction is intended to give teams enough time to adjust without having to discard existing components prematurely. "These adjustments are aimed at further refining our ability to monitor and enforce bodywork flexibility regulations, ensuring a level playing field for all competitors to promote fair and exciting racing," the FIA added.
This latest move represents a U-turn for the FIA, which had indicated last month that no changes to front wing tests were planned.
The issue of aero-elasticity, commonly referred to as "flexi-wings," has been a long-standing discussion point. In a sport where teams relentlessly chase any performance gain, wings that appear to pass static tests but flex at speed have frequently led to disputes.
Notably, McLaren was forced to modify the rear wings of their cars following discussions with the FIA at the Singapore Grand Prix last September. McLaren asserted their wings were regulation-compliant and had passed all required FIA deflection tests but agreed to minor modifications to address the concerns.
Earlier that month, the FIA had confirmed that all teams were compliant with front wing regulations, even though it acknowledged the front wing as a "challenging area" due to varying aerodynamic loads among teams. The governing body reserved the right to introduce new tests should any irregularities be detected.
With the upcoming changes, the FIA aims to put an end to the flexi-wing controversies and promote a more transparent and competitive racing environment for the 2025 season.
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