The hot topic of the weekend, without a doubt, is the introduction of the new technical directive on front wings, which from this Grand Prix will make flexibility tests more stringent, limiting flap movement. Over the years, the issue of flexing has often stirred controversy, prompting the FIA to intervene, though not always promptly.
The directive coming into force this weekend was actually announced in January 2025, at a time when car projects were already in an advanced stage of development. During that period, teams are typically focused on introducing their first technical upgrades for the season. For this reason, considering how far along the projects were, it was decided to postpone its implementation.
Among the most closely watched teams is McLaren, as some rivals believe that the Woking-based team, along with Mercedes, gained the most last year from the development of flexible wings. However, the British team has consistently reiterated that it has no doubts about its car’s competitiveness, even with the new restrictions.
“It’s good news for us when our rivals shift their attention away from themselves and onto alleged features in our car that don’t actually exist,” Andrea Stella had stated a few weeks ago at Imola.
“And even if they did exist—let’s take front wing flexing as an example—like for everyone else, it has nothing to do with why McLaren is so competitive,” the Team Principal added, stressing that the MCL39’s performance isn’t dependent on a single component.
On the eve of the Spanish Grand Prix, Lando Norris also expressed calmness regarding the new directive: “No, I’m not worried. There will be some small tweaks here and there, but nothing that will change our approach,” explained the British driver.
Clearly, all teams will be affected by the new regulation to some extent, but the key will be understanding who will be impacted the most. Most teams believe that, from a purely timing perspective, the impact will be limited—at most a tenth of a second—but some hope it could reignite certain battles and, above all, influence the balance between slow corners and high-speed sections.
The Spanish weekend will also be particularly interesting from a technical standpoint, as the Barcelona circuit is an excellent test bench for aerodynamics. Although the final chicane—which used to break up the rhythm and require compromises in setup—has been removed, the track still features low- and medium-speed corners where the front end of the MCL39 could make a difference.
In high-speed sweepers, however, where a very stable aerodynamic platform is needed, the challenge will be against the Red Bull RB21, which remains the benchmark. And it was Verstappen that Norris mentioned during the press conference, noting that the Dutchman is still clearly a formidable rival.
“I think that, mathematically, at the moment the whole grid can still win the championship. It’s not just a fight between me and Oscar [Piastri]. Max [Verstappen] can still win. Also, I expect Ferrari to improve as the season goes on.”
“We race against Max every weekend. He’s been on the podium multiple times. He’s won races. He beat us in Imola, honestly, because he was faster. So I don’t know what makes people think it’s just a fight between me and Oscar.”
Starting grid position on Sunday will be crucial, as will avoiding being overtaken on the long straight before Turn 1 in case of pole, like what happened last year. Compared to 2024, Norris doesn’t yet seem to have found consistency in qualifying, an area he is working to improve.
“I’ve had ups and downs on Saturdays. But on Sundays, probably in 95% of the races this season, I’ve been very satisfied. Sure, there have been some less positive weekends too. But some things just go the way they go. And as far as my Sundays are concerned, I’m really happy with how they’ve gone this year. I’ve always been very confident when it comes to the race, and that’s been the case all season.”
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