Red Bull F1 team 'FUMING' over shock last-minute FIA rule change

max verstappen, jos verstappen, christian horner, red bull, 2023 — Photo: © IMAGO

FIA

Red Bull 'FUMING' over shock last-minute FIA rule change

McLaren took best advantage of the rule in 2024 to Red Bull's disliking

Chris Deeley

Monday 3 February 2025 08:27

Red Bull Formula 1 team have reportedly been left irritated by a surprise decision from the FIA - not for the first time in recent years.

The team are said to be 'furious' over the late rule change introduced this winter, according to Italian publication AutoRacer, with the new season fast approaching.

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2024 saw Red Bull lose their previously ironclad dominance over the rest of the grid, thanks in some part to Sergio Perez's continually weak performances, meaning the team could only limp to third in the constructors' championship.

Max Verstappen still managed to claim victory in the drivers' championship, but he was pushed by Lando Norris, whose McLaren team took their first constructors' title in over 25 years.

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Lando Norris and Max Verstappen battled in 2024

McLaren's 2024 car won them the constructors' title

What has changed in the FIA's rules for 2025?

One thing the papaya team had on their side last year was a 'flexi' front wing, which (legally) allowed their car to possess a better balance between grip at low speeds and stability at high speeds.

Red Bull put a lot of effort into developing their own version of the flexi front wing this off-season, only for the FIA to decide later on to significantly tighten their restrictions, leaving Christian Horner's outfit to having largely wasted their money and time.

Teams will be able to run their wings under the 2024 rules until the Spanish Grand Prix at the start of June, but have been informed that from that point onward they will only be allowed 10mm of flex on the external part of their wings, as opposed to the current 15mm, while the internal flex allowance will go from 3mm to 2mm.

Bizarrely, reports have claimed that it was McLaren themselves who put the pressure on for this rule change to be enforced, having been concerned that Red Bull and Ferrari – who flew after introducing their own flexi-wing mid-season – had nullified their advantage.

Max Verstappen Ferrari McLaren FIA Lando Norris