Red Bull Keeping ‘Close Eye’ On McLaren Wings

F1 Grand Prix Of Australia Practice
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14: Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 14, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Andy Hone/LAT Images)
F1 Grand Prix Of Australia Practice
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 14: Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 14, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Andy Hone/LAT Images)

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 well ahead of the field.

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.

From F1 news to tech, history to opinions, F1 Chronicle has a free Substack. To deliver the stories you want straight to your inbox, click here.

New to Formula 1? Check out our Glossary of F1 Terms, and our Beginners Guide to Formula 1 to fast-track your F1 knowledge.

Comments

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

More in News

2025 Australian Grand Prix, Sonntag Lat Images

Surprise Podium For Russell, Stunning Debut For Antonelli In Chaotic Season Opener

George Russell and debutant Kimi Antonelli defied a rain-soaked Australian ...
Stefano Domenicali

Stefano Domenicali Heading To Thailand After Melbourne

Stefano Domenicali, the newly-renewed CEO of Formula 1, is hopping ...
Lando Norris, Max Verstappen

F1, Netflix, Defend Under-Fire ‘Drive To Survive’

Formula 1, and Netflix producers, have defended 'Drive to Survive' ...
F1 Grand Prix Of Australia Qualifying

McLaren Go One-Two In Melbourne Qualifying

The first qualifying of the 2025 season ended with an ...
16 Scuderia Ferrari Australian Gp 2025 Friday 8ab12c0d Ff94 4751 Ad83 255bf2aa9cc8

Ferrari Giving Lewis Hamilton ‘Time’ To Speed Up

Charles Leclerc could "send Lewis Hamilton into retirement" this year, ...

Trending on F1 Chronicle