After being at the center of discussions about flexible wings, it seems that McLaren had to modify its rear wing following the introduction of the new FIA regulation. Looking at the telemetry data, a lower top speed compared to the competition can be observed, indicating that the rear wing may have been affected by the new technical directive.
After qualifying, McLaren was the slowest team on the straights, with a maximum speed of 319 km/h, compared to the 326 km/h recorded by George Russell. While the British team chose a higher downforce setup, it is clear that they are no longer able to express the same straight-line efficiency they demonstrated in previous races. It is therefore reasonable to hypothesize that the performance loss is at least partially linked to the new technical directive, although there is no certainty on this.
The rear wing brought to Japan is a medium downforce configuration, already seen at the second round of the championship in Shanghai. Unlike that version, however, this new specification is said to have a more solid structure, likely stiffened by the addition of extra layers of carbon fiber.
The goal of this stiffening is to reduce the deformation of the wing profile as speed increases, preventing the gap between the main plane and the second element from exceeding the maximum limit set by the FIA.
What does the new FIA directive entail?
To ensure that the deformations stay within the established values, the FIA conducts a static test by applying a vertical load of 75 kg to one end of the main plane. The maximum flexion currently allowed is 0.5 mm, with no tolerance. In Melbourne, this limit was 2 mm, while in Shanghai it had already been reduced to 0.5 mm, but with a tolerance of 0.25 mm, due to the short notice.
The fact that McLaren had to intervene on the rear wing suggests that in previous races, they had used a highly flexible configuration that provided significant performance advantages. However, the new structural stiffening could lead to a slight increase in weight due to the additional carbon layers. Another clear disadvantage is the reduced ability of the wing to flex, thus limiting the opening that worked like a “mini DRS” and causing a loss of speed on the straight.
Is it really the FIA directive’s fault?
We don’t have certainty that the directive penalized McLaren, but the top speed efficiency doesn’t seem to be what it was in previous races. However, it should be considered that the delta compared to the record speeds is not particularly high, which is why it’s plausible to attribute the gap to a higher downforce setup compared to the competition, as demonstrated by the perfect balance of the MCL39.
The answer lies in a combination of both factors: a rear wing adapted to the new regulations and a high-downforce setup.
It’s important to note that other teams have also had to deal with the new technical directive, which means McLaren is not at a complete disadvantage. In fact, the MCL39 continues to stand out as the car with the most complete technical package on the grid, and it seems unlikely that the new regulation will significantly limit its performance.
Leave a Reply