The FIA will tighten the rules for testing rear wing flexibility starting from the Chinese Grand Prix.
We have known for some time that the FIA will focus on front wing flexibility from the Spanish Grand Prix and should also tighten the load tests, but since pre-season testing, the rear wing flexibility has come to the fore. The FIA then monitored rear wing flexibility with cameras in Melbourne. It didn't take long, and from the Chinese Grand Prix onwards, they will tighten the rear wing flexibility tests.
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| Photo: AutoRacer |
"Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.
"More specifically, Article 3.15.17, introduced in 2025, states that if 75kg of vertical load is applied on either extremity of the rear wing mainplane, the distance between the mainplane and the flap (also known as “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2mm. From the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm. Due to the short notice for Shanghai only a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit." said FIA