Ferrari: Tests on front wing, game changer in F1?

Ferrari Anticipates Significant Changes in Formula 1

The Ferrari team principal, Fred Vasseur, has expressed his opinion on the changes to the front wing flexibility tests that will be implemented at the next Spanish Grand Prix. Vasseur believes that these modifications could be a “game changer” for the ten Formula 1 teams.

Following last year’s controversy over bodywork flexibility, the FIA confirmed in January the introduction of stricter load tests on front wings starting from the ninth round of the season in Spain.

Engineering a certain degree of flexibility into the wings, when under aerodynamic load, can offer performance gains, either by reducing drag at high speeds or by changing the aerodynamic balance of the car between low and high speed corners.

Stricter static tests, conducted by the FIA in Spain, are expected to force all teams to modify their front wings. Vasseur believes this could result in changes in the relative performance of the cars.

The flexibility of the front wings has been a hot topic in Formula 1.

I think Barcelona is on everyone’s calendar in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing.

Fred Vasseur

Vasseur also commented that Ferrari has been working on this issue for a long time and that it could be a significant change for everyone, as the impact of the new regulation on each team is unknown. The team will focus on this in Barcelona to optimize the performance of the new front wing.

Toto Wolff, head of the Mercedes team, suggested that Ferrari might be the team that has least exploited flexible front wings this year. However, Wolff is not sure if any team will gain a significant advantage from the stricter tests.

I think what we’ve seen is that Ferrari was probably the most conservative in terms of flexible wings. What it’s going to do in the hierarchy is something we need to analyze.

Toto Wolff

Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, believes the new tests will affect all teams, but it’s difficult to predict if they will alter the competitive order.

Now we return to some higher speed circuits and, of course, the front wing is subject to a regulation change, and perhaps that won’t have any impact on the race order, but it’s a change and it will affect all the teams. Perhaps in a neutral way, but there will be an impact. What we don’t know is how it will affect each team. It’s a significant change and, of course, there will be some effect.

Christian Horner