An intrinsic element of Formula 1’s ebb and flow is that its teams have a complex relationship with the rulebook as they test and probe every grey area they can find to give a competitive advantage.
Wing flexibility is an obvious area of battle. In layman’s terms you want the wing to be as flat as possible on the straight, to reduce drag, but ideally curved up to produce the maximum downforce in corners.
The FIA’s latest technical directive likely means it thinks that those boundaries have been compromised recently, including tricks that are specifically designed to evade its static load tests. If you wonder why the F1 technical directors prowl the grid, it’s not to get on TV like the hangers-on, it’s because they’re looking for clues for what the opposition might be up to.
And it’s detailed drawings of the designs and their mounting points that the FIA will now demand to see to rule on legality. Some design offices might be in for a nervous couple of weeks! By: Charles Bradley, Global Editor in Chief
Motorsport.com | 
