Just as the paddock departed from Australia, teams were informed of a major rule change ahead of the Chinese GP: from now on, wing slot gaps must not exceed 0.5 mm when tested under a 75 kg load. Until the previous week, the limit had been 2 mm, but footage revealed inconsistencies between how the wings behaved in static tests and on track.
Top teams immediately pointed fingers at each other, with McLaren being the main target—after all, they were the first to fully exploit this trick. However, the MCL39 was found to be fully compliant. So, which teams were forced to make adjustments? According to *Autosport*, Alpine and Haas had to modify parts of their wings to meet the new directive. “We had to put in extra work at the factory to ensure we complied with the new limits, but that’s normal when regulations change mid-season. Now we’re here with a revised wing, and we’re within the rules,” explained Alpine sporting director Dave Greenwood.
Two other teams are also under scrutiny, though their identities remain unknown. However, there is strong suspicion that one of them is Williams, as they failed to provide stewards with footage from cameras mounted on their rear wing. McLaren, on the other hand, is not under investigation and is confident that its performance will not be affected by the new technical directive throughout the Formula 1 season.
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