Formula One regulations tighten, causing amusement for Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton Critiques Formula 1 Rule Adjustments
Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1's record world champion, has criticized recent rule modifications regarding "flexi-wings." In Barcelona, he termed the changes a "waste of money" for all involved parties [1]. The FIA, the governing body, had intervened with a technical directive against the flexible front wings (Flexi-Wings), deemed to be a significant advantage for McLaren.
McLaren continues to set the pace, yet the rule tightening, a contentious issue, seems ineffective. Hamilton and his teammate, Lando Norris, dominated qualifying, as they usually do. Ferrari driver Hamilton remarked, "It didn't change anything at all." All teams employ this technique, implying that the new wings in Barcelona still bend, only not as much [2].
The Flexi-Wings bend under aerodynamic load and change shape to provide an advantage at higher speeds. This technique was considered a McLaren specialty, but even after the rule tightening, the MCL39 remains superior to the competition [3].
Hamilton questions the likelihood of catching up to championship leaders Norris and Piastri for the moment. He lags "half a second." Months of work go into finding a tenth of a second. The Englishman suggests that the teams should have spent the money instead on charitable causes [4].
The FIA introduced these changes to tighten the load tests on front wings, reducing the allowed deflection from 15mm to 10mm to deal with concerns about flexibility and ensure compliance with regulations [5][6]. The decision was driven by data analysis and worries about increasing deflections [5]. Teams may face challenges adapting to the new regulations, potentially leading to shifts in performance between teams, impacting championship standings [1][5].
[1] ntv.de, tno/sid, [2] FIA Technical Directive, [3] McLaren performance data, [4] Lewis Hamilton statement, [5] FIA statement, [6] Regulation 3.8 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations.
Lewis Hamilton, a renowned sports figure in the realm of Formula One, criticized the recent rule adjustments in grand-prix racing, particularly those affecting "flexi-wings," at the Barcelona Grand Prix, deeming them a waste of money for all involved teams. Despite the FIA's implementation of the changes to tighten load tests on front wings, racing teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and the rest of the world, maintain the use of the technique, with McLaren's MCL39 still having a competitive edge.
