The issue of flexible bodywork has been a hot topic since the reintroduction of ground-effect aerodynamics in 2022.
The controversy has grown further in recent seasons amid McLaren’s rapid rise in performance, with rival teams frequently accusing the Woking team of exploiting flexible front and rear wings.
The situation came to a head at last year’s Belgian Grand Prix, where onboard camera footage highlighted the need for the FIA to tighten its testing procedures to better police wing flexing.
In January, the FIA announced new front wing load test regulations would come into place at the Spanish Grand Prix, giving teams extra time to adapt their designs.
Under the new rules, the maximum allowable front wing deflection during static load tests has been reduced from 15mm to 10mm.
These follow similar rear wing flex tests introduced at the Chinese Grand Prix earlier this season, which reduced allowable rear wing deflection from 2mm to just 0.5mm
With the new rules now in play, several teams believe the changes could have a significant impact on performance, and potentially shake up the competitive order.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur called the changes a potential “game-changer” while speaking in Monaco last weekend, adding that most teams had been targeting the Spanish Grand Prix as a key milestone.
“I think Barcelona is on the calendar of everybody in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing,” he said.
“We are working on it for ages now and this can be a game-changer for everybody, because we don’t know the impact on every single team of the new regulation.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner also weighed in, suggesting the effect might be subtler, but still significant.
“Maybe neutrally, but there will be an impact from it,” Horner said in Monaco.
“What we don’t know is how it’ll affect (the teams). It’s a significant change, and so of course there’ll be some effect.”
McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, however, downplayed the impact of the regulations upon arrival at Barcelona.
“I think the biggest problem is how overhyped it is,” Piastri of the change.
“We know what’s different. I think everyone will have to change, at least to an extent.
“I’ve not run the front wing, but Lando has already run the front wing before this year. We’re confident that’s not our magic bullet.
“We don’t have a magic bullet, but that’s not our main strength.”
When asked during Thursday’s press conference if the change would shake up the order, Norris said simply: “Nope, not at all.”
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