McLaren is set to modify its much-debated 'mini DRS' rear wing after facing three separate complaints from rivals Red Bull, which received additional support from Ferrari.
"The FIA must react," Red Bull's F1 advisor Dr. Helmut Marko insisted during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend.
Shocking images and footage of McLaren's pace-leading car, taken from the rear-facing onboard camera, reverberated through the Formula 1 paddock following last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Marko described the wing's behaviour as "extreme bending," which resulted in two drag-reducing DRS-style gaps forming at the wing's edges.
"The rules are clear that the wing must not change aerodynamically while driving," Marko firmly stated.
Previously, McLaren expressed strong confidence that the wing adhered to all regulations. When questioned about how he can be so sure, McLaren designer Rob Marshall responded in Singapore, "By reading the rules."
"There are often ambiguities in the rules, but they are there to be clarified," Marshall further explained.
While the McLaren wing passed the FIA's standard static flexibility checks, Marko pointed out that the regulations also prohibit significant bending during actual racing conditions.
"That wing bends in the race," he claimed, "and it gives them an advantage."
As speculation grew regarding the FIA's request for McLaren to adjust the design, the team communicated to reporters through Whatsapp that it had offered to implement modifications voluntarily.
"It was us who offered to change the wing," McLaren CEO Zak Brown confirmed. "It's a small adjustment to our Baku wing, and it won't make a huge difference, so I'm pretty relaxed about it."
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur admitted feeling "frustrated" after viewing the footage from Baku but allowed Red Bull to handle the formal protests.
Red Bull estimated the design feature to be worth around one to two-tenths of a second per lap. "We protested against McLaren's rear wing three times," Marko stated. "Today the FIA made a very correct decision."
"Now it's time to take a closer look at their front wing," he concluded.
