05/06/2021
NEWS STORY
McLaren boss, Andreas Seidl has called on the FIA to act on 'illegal' rear wings this weekend, insisting that they represent a deliberate attempt to break the rules.
Ahead of the introduction of its revised deflection test at Paul Ricard in a fortnight's time, this weekend the FIA is setting the wheels in motion - so to speak - by placing markers on the rear wings of all the cars. These will be used to help calibrate the rear facing cameras which will provide the video footage on which much of its investigation will be based.
However, as initial footage reveals that almost all the rear wings bend to some extent, Andreas Seidl believes that in addition to investigating how much they bend, the FIA must look into the design of each wing and whether the concept behind that design was a deliberate attempt to circumvent the rules.
And while the German has previously said he is against protesting the wings this weekend he feels the FIA must act now.
"From our point of view, if we see deflections again like we have seen in Barcelona, there needs to be action here this weekend," he said. "How this action will look like in the paddock, I don't know.
"It is not just the deflection that you see," he continued. "But in the end what is important is for the FIA to look into how does this deflection get created.
"If this deflection gets created by a design that is clearly done for passing the test which is in the regulations, then it is creating excessive deflection, on purpose, that's obviously not within 3.8," he added, referring to the rule which forbids "moveable aerodynamic devices".
As the paddock holds its breath in anticipation of Mercedes protesting the Red Bull, Seidl hinted that McLaren could take action: "I don't want to go into discussion of a protest at the moment.
"In general, it doesn't make sense to do anything before the event, because you can change a rear wing on Saturday morning. There's no point to do anything on a Friday night."
Check out our Saturday gallery from Baku, here.