F1 arrived for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku and protests over the flexibility of the teams’ rear wings loomed before new stiffness tests are introduced from the next race in France.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff warned that a “very chaotic” situation could arise in Baku if the FIA fails to resolve the matter, suggesting the teams may protest.
The FIA has taken steps to monitor the matter in Baku by asking teams to put yellow locator points on their rear wings so officers can check how much they bend at high speed.
When Sky Sports showed F1 footage of the Mercedes rear wing, which appeared to show some flexibility during practice in Azerbaijan on Friday, Horner said that “if anything, it looks a bit worse around here than here”.
Horner added, “I would be more interested in the front of the car than the back of the car.
“So you open a whole can of worms, and so there are tests, there are strict tests that the cars have to pass.”
Both Red Bull team boss Horner and team advisor Helmut Marko have expressed concerns about the flexibility of the Mercedes front wing at the last races and previously indicated that a counter-protest could be submitted if Mercedes should take action.
Horner suggested that any concerns about the flexibility of the rear wing should be carried over to other parts of the car, which called the Mercedes front wing into question.
ANALYSIS: F1 prepares for Flexi Wing Showdown in Baku. in front
Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
“The rear wing made a lot of noise and a lot of revisions had to be made,” said Horner.
“So if you pick at one end of the car, you have to look at the other. You can’t look at one part in isolation and say that the rulebook only applies to that element in that car.
“You have to look at all areas. Sometimes you have to be a little careful about what you want. “
Horner noted when showing a clip of the Mercedes front wing that “you can see the sponsorship on the front wing and then it goes away when you get into a braking area.”
“Maybe that’s the purpose of exposing the new sponsor on the front wing,” joked Horner.
PLUS: Why F1 shouldn’t be too rigid with Flexi-Wings
When asked what he would do if he were in Mercedes’ place, Horner replied, “I think if I were Toto with the front wing that he has on his car, I would shut up.”
A number of teams have already admitted that they have exploited the regulatory loophole on their rear wings, including Ferrari and Alfa Romeo.
For Horner it was only natural for the teams to explore the limits of the technical regulations wherever possible.
“They have some very clever technicians who design components to conform to the rules,” Horner said.
“That’s their job, that’s what we pay them for, that’s what Formula 1 stands for, this engineering skill. If we want standard cars, then we would be Formula 2.
“I think that’s part of the competition in this sport, pushing the boundaries. That’s what Formula 1 is all about.
“You have to be legal, you have to follow the rules, but you have to cross those lines. We do that like every other team in the pit lane. “
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