As competitiveness returned to the pecking order in the 2024 season, so did the allegations and counter-allegations amongst teams about their technical innovations, whether on the front wing or the brake ducts. Even the eventual Constructors’ champions McLaren had to face such a controversy when rival teams alleged that the slot gaps in its rear wing created a ‘mini-DRS’ effect.
This effect was first evident at the Azerbaijan GP where Oscar Piastri was leading the race ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by a small margin. As Piastri had no car ahead, the Aussie couldn’t have his DRS flap open down the main straight.
Still, as Piastri powered down the long straight at the Baku City Circuit, the edges of the upper flap of his rear wing started to flex and lift, creating gaps and reducing some drag. After the weekend, the FIA and McLaren settled the issue with the Woking team resolving the flexing issue and giving a clarification that it did not give them any undue advantage on pace.
Karun Chandhok also feels the same and has expressed his perspective on how they were still quick on merit throughout the season. “At the end of the year, Lando dominated Abu Dhabi. And that’s part of the game,” Chandhok said in a podcast conversation with Evo India. “F1 is all about finding loopholes. That’s the job of the designers, that’s what makes it special.”
Oscar says McLaren’s ‘mini DRS’ rear wing is legal following scrutiny after the Azerbaijan GP #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/ox5a39H00j
— Autosport (@autosport) September 19, 2024
The Sky Sports F1 pundit also gave an example of how Red Bull had a flexible rear wing during the 2021 season, which caused its title rival Mercedes to strongly protest and push the FIA to be more stringent with its load testing of wings.
The flexi wing saga and other developmental controversies of 2024
After the tussle over flexible rear wings in 2021 between Red Bull and Mercedes, it was the Silver Arrows’ upgraded front wing at the 2024 Canadian GP that kickstarted this saga again last season. Teams like Red Bull and Ferrari were against this flexing of the front wing that allowed teams like Mercedes and McLaren to manage their airflow in a better way.
As the FIA later approved it, with Mercedes passing the load tests, other teams also jumped on this idea with McLaren being one of them. Red Bull and Ferrari were a bit hesitant but eventually had to adopt the flexi front wing to add performance to their respective cars.
However, the front and rear wings weren’t the only areas of development that saw controversies like these. Even Red Bull had to face allegations of using an asymmetric braking system. The FIA updated regulations about the braking torques needing to be similar on both axles, which effectively outlawed an asymmetric brake-bias system.
Looks as though RBR might have been running a clever rear cross-brake inertia valve before they were obliged to remove it before Miami. This could explain Max’s RR brake drama in MEL and his turn-in grief since China. @mollym_o @Racingnews365c @CameronF1TV @mrabdullahcelik pic.twitter.com/C1aa21NFHR
— Peter Windsor (@PeterDWindsor) August 15, 2024
The Austrian outfit denied the usage of such a system on the RB20. However, they were found guilty of using a ride height adjustment device on their car to try and maximize performance in qualifying while avoiding the plank wear by increasing the rake angle for the race.
The FIA eventually put a seal on this device despite Red Bull assuring that they never gained an unfair advantage via the device.
