Why F1 is about to change forever ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix

lando norris, max verstappen, oscar piastri, mclaren, red bull, spanish grand prix, graphic — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Explained

Why F1 is about to change forever ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix

A new technical directive has been introduced this weekend

Chris Deeley

Sunday 1 June 2025 13:12

Formula 1 teams talk a lot about having to stay flexible, but that's not going to be the case at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. Well, sort of.

Do we call it a new rule, or a 'technical directive'? Either way, all 10 teams have been told that from this weekend onward, their front wings need to be less bendy. And boy, they've been talking about it a lot.

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For those who have missed it, teams were told late in the off-season that from Spain onward, they'll lose 33 per cent of the flex leeway in the front wing (15mm to 10mm).

Why have a flexible wing? Essentially, it allows teams to have their cake and eat it too when it comes to setup and downforce, with more flexibility meaning that teams can both fly down the straights and still get the benefit of a more aggressive wing when braking for the corners.

The less flex available, the more teams have to make an active choice to either focus on their straight line performance or control under braking. Tactical nuance! Exciting! ...Right?

Has flexi-wing rule hurt any F1 teams?

Not to be too much of a party pooper, but...whatever sort of shake-up of the championship fans and pundits were hoping the crackdown on flexi wings would provide, it doesn't look like we'll be getting it.

With all of the usual caveats – it's early, it's 'only' been free practice sessions, it's just one circuit – it seems that if anything, McLaren are even more dominant than before.

Saturday's FP3 results were particularly stark, with Oscar Piastri the best part of three quarters of a second faster than anyone but his team-mate Lando Norris on qualifying simulation runs.

Giving their front wings little blue pills doesn't seem to have done anything to change the trajectory of this year's title fight, with Norris going nearly half a second faster than Max Verstappen despite being on a pair of lightly-used soft tyres which are estimated to have cost him at least three tenths of a second.

What are we saying? Well, we might be waiting until next season for a technical directive that really shakes up the picture at the top end of the sport...and Jos Verstappen will probably complain a few more times about McLaren's wings between now and then. Plus ca change.