McLaren’s Flexi Wing has been a trending topic in the F1 paddock. Red Bull and Ferrari are continuously observing the MCL38. After Oscar Piastri’s win, his rear wings were alleged to be behaving differently, hinting at a possible rule breach.
Amid all the chaos, Mercedes has been far from this “flexi-wing” saga. The Silver Arrows are tangled with an off-balance W15, which has been their biggest concern. Thus, Toto Wolff gave his opinion on the conundrum, affirming the McLaren mini DRS is not on its priority list.
McLaren’s “Mini DRS” Not On Mercedes’ Priority List
McLaren recently addressed concerns over their rear wing, confirming that it complies with FIA regulations and passes all deflection tests. However, following discussions with the FIA, the team decided to make some minor adjustments to the wing, proactively ensuring its compliance. McLaren also hinted that they expect the FIA to hold similar conversations with other teams regarding their rear wings, signaling that this issue may affect more than just their own setup.
Meanwhile, Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff downplayed the significance of the so-called McLaren’ flexi-wing’ saga. When asked about the controversy during an interview with Sky F1, Wolff explained that Mercedes has been focusing on resolving its internal issues, particularly after a challenging return to the season following the summer break. With Mercedes having won three of the four races prior to the break, its recent struggles have demanded their full attention.
Moreover, the Austrian acknowledged that while the debate over McLaren’s rear wing may have influenced races such as Monza and Baku, it was not Mercedes’ top concern. He admitted that their focus was elsewhere, indicating that Mercedes did not prioritize the flexi-wing controversy, even though it may have had an impact on the competitive front. Instead, Wolff emphasized that solving Mercedes’ own performance issues remains their primary objective.
Mercedes To Overstep Faulty Spa Floor Upgrade
Further, Wolff reflected on the team’s challenges with their previous floor design, specifically pointing out issues in Baku. He explained that the balance issues remained despite switching to the new floor, indicating that the team was still dealing with the same performance limitations. Looking ahead, Wolff mentioned that Mercedes plans to continue using the current floor setup in Singapore, but a new specification is expected to be introduced from the Austin race onwards.
Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin offered more insights into the upgrades that Mercedes has planned for Austin, describing the step as significant. He emphasized that the team is constantly working on evolving the car’s specifications to bring improvements at every race. However, the main focus right now is on the larger update package that will debut in Austin. Shovlin noted that once the team reaches the season’s final six races, the updates will likely be smaller, but for now, all efforts are concentrated on making a big performance leap in Austin. This planned update is seen as a crucial move for Mercedes as they aim to resolve their ongoing balance issues and regain competitiveness in the final stretch of the season.