FIA close Mercedes front wing loophole

Sam Hall
Thursday 8 December 2022 16:01 - Updated: 16:01

The FIA has closed a loophole in the technical regulations that Mercedes sought to exploit with a controversial front wing.

Mercedes unveiled the component at the United States Grand Prix with separators that it believed satisfied the regulations.

The team did, however, accept that the larger and more angled devices would provide a small, secondary aerodynamic benefit, something that was permitted as the regulations dictated only the purpose of the separators must be "primarily [for] mechanical, structural or measurement reasons."

In other instances and to avoid doubt, the purpose of devices is listed as "sole".

Mercedes never intended to run the part at the Circuit of the Americas due to a shortage of spare parts.

But after the FIA agreed with teams that the part was designed with an aerodynamic benefit in mind, a more regular-looking element was fitted for the Mexico City event one week later.

Following a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council this week, the latest draft of the 2023 technical regulations has removed the wording that created this loophole.

The alteration has also set clearly defined sizing for the element for added clarity.