Inside F1's New Rivalry: The Battle Over McLaren's Wings
Mar.15 - Red Bull is keeping a "very close eye" on McLaren's bendy wings.
As the action kicked off in Melbourne, the pundits' predictions proved true - McLaren is ahead of the field while Red Bull is struggling.
Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko declared this week that it's "insane" the FIA is only clamping down hard on front wing flexibility from the Spanish GP in June.
However, excessive rear wing flexibility - like McLaren's ingenious 'mini drs' solution of 2024 - has been made immediately illegal. In response, 50-gram, ultra-HD FIA cameras have been installed on the cars in Melbourne to monitor the bending at speed.
Teams have been told that if the video footage shows a gap open up wider than 2mm, a FIA reprimand may be issued. "However, disqualification is not possible," Germany's specialist Auto Motor und Sport reports.
"FIA sources say that if there are too many violations, the rules could be tightened at short notice, similar to those for the front wing," correspondent Michael Schmidt added.
"Otherwise, the evaluations will be used to refine the rules for the 2026 season."
When asked if he thinks pacesetter McLaren in particular is already bending the rules in Australia, Marko told Kleine Zeitung newspaper: "We will definitely keep a very close eye on it."
Clear tension still exists between the two teams, particularly amid the newest wild rumours that Lando Norris might be a candidate for Red Bull in 2026 if Max Verstappen decides to jump ship.
Marko mischievously noted that Norris may not even be McLaren's preferred driver already.
"After (Oscar) Piastri's long-term contract extension, I would say McLaren is banking on him," said the Austrian.
Meanwhile, Verstappen also grinned when asked about revelations that McLaren CEO Zak Brown recently called his management team to "explore the market".
"When he knew how much he had to pay, it was immediately over," the Dutchman told Viaplay.
"I am really not concerned with speculation," Verstappen added. "I am entering my eleventh season, so I am not wasting my energy on that.
"I am in a good place here and I am doing my best. Of course we want to go a bit faster, but everyone wants that as well."
In other news, the FIA ruled in Melbourne that conversations between drivers and teams on the radios will be exempt from the 'swearing ban' in 2025.
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