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“The issue was solved…until now”: Red Bull brings up debate over Mercedes’ “flexible wing” advantage at the Sao Paolo Grand Prix

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"The issue was solved...until now": Red Bull brings up debate over Mercedes' "flexible wing" advantage at the Sao Paolo Grand Prix

Red Bull once again complain over rear wing issues, with the team claiming that Mercedes is not following the FIA regulations. 

Rear wing advantages have been the subject of discussion between the two teams all season long. It was first brought to light by Mercedes, who complained about the amount of flexibility in the rear wing of the RB16B.

This led to the FIA issuing new regulations that instructed all teams to ‘firm up’ their wings. A lot of teams were not with this verdict. The entire issue seemed to be resolved until the Milton-Keynes based team brought it up in Brazil again.

Lewis Hamilton dominated the qualifying session in Sao Paolo on Friday. However, FIA’s lead technical director Jo Bauer had questions regarding the Briton’s DRS. They launched an investigation regarding the same but are yet to make a decision.

However, according to Auto Motor und Sport, Red Bull raised their concerns regarding Mercedes’ rear wings before Hamilton was summoned to the stewards.

Also read: Lewis Hamilton finally tells us what he really feels about being frequently booed

Mercedes are allegedly using the very same rear wings they complained about

Red Bull was looking for a reason as to why Mercedes cars were outperforming them in the second half of the season. Red Bull thinks that the Brackley-based team is using the same “flexi-wings” that they complained about at the start of the season.

According to AMuS: ‘The top speed disadvantage has been driving Red Bull since the summer break. There were new theories as to why the Silver Arrows fly away from the RB16B on the straights. Now Red Bull believes it has finally found what it is looking for.’

‘According to Red Bull, the rear wing flap of the Mercedes folds backwards from a speed of 260 km/h. Red Bull technical director Adrian Newey ‘went into the FIA office with evidence supporting this fact.’

They do not have to take the trouble of lodging an official protest anymore. Hamilton’s car is already under investigation for DRS issues. FIA will announce their decision of the Mercedes car on Saturday ahead of F1’s 3rd Sprint race of the year.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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