Red Bull F1 boss slams 'INSANE' forced FIA change

Red Bull

Red Bull F1 boss slams 'INSANE' forced FIA change

The FIA made a huge change heading into the 2025 season

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 15 March 2025 12:58 Updated: 16:16

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Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has slammed the FIA for their latest clampdown on flexible wing designs used on Formula 1 cars.

Following increased inspections on the use of flexible wings in 2024 following team complaints, all 10 teams' designs were eventually deemed to be legal, but the sport's governing body has issued new guidance for 2025.

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Flexible wings allow teams to run their cars with more downforce in the corners by flicking to a maximum downforce specification, without sacrificing straight-line speed. Further inspections on the designs are taking place from the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

Strict restrictions on wing designs are set to be implemented midway through the year, at the Spanish GP on June 1.

The FIA are becoming stricter on the use of flexi wings

Helmut Marko has slammed the FIA's latest decision

Marko hits back at flexi wing tests

Now, Red Bull chief Marko has hit out at the flexi wing changes, calling for clearer rules and describing the change as ‘insane’.

"Now everyone except the smaller teams has built a wing that bends," Marko said to Auto Motor und Sport.

"It's insane that they can throw them away again in the middle of the season. Either the new rule applies right from the start of the season or not at all.

"The FIA should have realised by now that rules have to be written in such a way that there are no grey areas.

"A comprehensive check of bending is practically impossible. The teams have far more manpower than the FIA.

"Poor Nikola Tombazis [FIA Technical Director] is left alone against an army of engineers who are coming up with clever ideas.

"To protect ourselves against this, the rules need to be clearer. So that there is no room for interpretation within such a framework. What cannot be verified must not be permitted."

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