FIA confirm mandatory rule change for all 10 teams ahead of Chinese Grand Prix

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FIA confirm mandatory rule change for all 10 teams ahead of Chinese Grand Prix

Already there are big changes in the F1 2025 season

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Monday 17 March 2025 20:00 Updated: 22:15

The FIA has announced a rule change for all 10 teams on the Formula 1 grid ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix

Flexi-wings are the issue of the day in F1 at present, and, following close monitoring over the season-opening weekend in Australia, the sport's governing body has seen enough to jump in and make a change.

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Cameras were fitted to certain cars in Melbourne to measure how much rear wings were flexing when out on track. And, having combined the data with results found in static garage measurements, it has now been decided that from the race at the Shanghai International Circuit, teams will now face tougher rear-wing flexibility tests.

In China the new rule will see the rear wing will be limited to flexing to 0.5mm, having already tightened restrictions before the season to just 2mm. The area concerned is known as the slot gap which is the distance between the rear wing flap and the main plane.

All teams were found to have perfectly complied with the rules in Australia despite the sudden changes.

McLaren have been accused of exploiting flexi-wings but have always complied with F1 rules

Christian Horner has welcomed the FIA's stricter approach

New flexi-wing drama strikes Formula 1

It's the latest chapter in the flexi-wing drama that has endured from the second half of last season, when McLaren were accused of running flexing front wings - although they also passed all FIA compliance tests.

This year's Spanish Grand Prix will also mark a point when tougher tests will be implemented on the front wings.

However, Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been critical of delaying the process that long after admitting being confused over the process, saying: “I think it’s good that they’ve addressed it. Obviously, there’s been a change and a tidy-up to the rear wing.

“The front wing gets changed at race nine. Why nine? I don’t know, but it is what it is. It’s the same for everyone.

“It just means that you’ve got a pre-race nine and a post-race nine set of issues to deal with, which inevitably will drive cost.”

Mercedes Formula 1 McLaren FIA Chinese Grand Prix