(Motorsport-Total.com) – Two incidents within just over a week, both involving Max Verstappen’s Red Bull RB22, have put the rear wing in the FIA’s spotlight. Or more precisely: All rotating wings have become a topic of discussion because of this.
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The two most recent crashes of the four-time world champion (first in qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix, then a few laps before the end of the British Grand Prix) have prompted the FIA to take a closer look at the design of these wings.
In fact, Verstappen crashed in both cases due to a problem with the rear wing. Red Bull has not released details but confirmed that the crashes were caused by two different defects in the rear wing, which at least partially remained open.
In Milton Keynes, engineers are investigating what happened at the Red Bull Ring and in Silverstone, especially since Verstappen himself did not hold back in analyzing the two incidents.
“It can really be dangerous because I could have been seriously injured – even twice. I was lucky in Austria and I was lucky here. And that’s why at some point you really get fed up,” Verstappen said in Silverstone.
FIA reviews both solutions
Red Bull has shown that there is a real problem with its folding rear wing. So far, the project was developed in a shorter time than Ferrari’s, and it is also the only one that has experienced defects during race weekends.
The wing from Maranello, on the other hand, has so far been spared from such problems. The aerodynamic component, called the “Macarena wing” by Frederic Vasseur since its first uses and making its full debut at a race weekend at the Miami Grand Prix, continues to show encouraging signs regarding stability and reliability.
Nevertheless, the FIA has initially put both rotating wings under observation. It is normal that at Place de la Concorde in Paris, the association’s headquarters, safety is the top priority.
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Verstappen’s accidents have triggered a clear alarm, and it is only right to examine the functioning of these mechanisms more closely – not only the opening of the upper wing profile but the actual folding to further reduce drag when in use.
The association already has the designs of both teams but apparently wants to go deeper. Meetings with the technical directors of both teams have been scheduled to assess the situation and determine if adjustments are necessary.
Ferrari wants to stick to the “Macarena wing”
Ferrari, the first team to introduce the rotating wing, benefits from never having had reliability problems during race weekends – also thanks to longer development and testing phases than the competition.
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After several weeks of fine-tuning, the actuator of the wing on the SF-26 has long been perfectly calibrated, both in terms of closing times (it must return to the starting position in less than four tenths of a second) and regarding the robustness of the materials.
For these reasons, Ferrari has no intention of giving up an advantage earned through a bold design that has set standards. When the straight mode is activated, the flap rotates about 225 degrees clockwise, and the actuator has never caused problems, drastically reducing drag on the straights.
In Maranello, they can rely on the system never having failed and use this proven safety to deploy the “Macarena wing” without restrictions until the end of the season.
The design also differs significantly – structurally as well – from the solution from Milton Keynes, which is less robust in case of malfunction during the closing phase.
Does the FIA have to ban the Red Bull wing?
Regarding the Red Bull wing: If Verstappen’s wing indeed remained open shortly before the accidents, this primarily means that the system did not meet the prescribed closing time of 400 milliseconds (four tenths of a second).
It also suggests that the wing did not close at all due to two different defects, which poses a safety risk for the driver and for people near the vehicle.
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“The stewards may prohibit the participation of a vehicle whose design is considered dangerous. Should relevant information arise during a session, such a decision can take immediate effect,” states Article C1.2 of the Formula 1 Technical Regulations.
It should be recalled that the association has the authority to ban even a single wing of a team if it is deemed dangerous, without affecting the designs of other teams that have developed a similar concept that ultimately proves reliable and functional.
That is why there is calm in Maranello, while in Milton Keynes they are now forced to find a solution quickly.
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