Lewis Hamilton’s consecutive wins at Interlagos and Losail Circuit have shifted the lead to Mercedes in this exciting championship. However, Red Bull believes Mercedes is bypassing the wing flex rules in order to achieve that incredibly fast speed on the straights. The Mercedes rear wing suspension has been discussed since the Turkish GP.
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Needless to say, any technical changes to the F1 juggernaut are being scrutinized by the F1 community.
For context, there are rules in sport that state that the rear wing cannot bend more than 85mm. When the high-speed air hits the wings, the more these wings bend, the less the frontal area in the air is. It causes less drag and offers high speed on the straights. The FIA checks wing flexion by adding weights to the wings and measuring how much they move.
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#AMuS Allegedly the FIA has informed all teams about a new rear wing test. The TD [flexi wings] which was introduced in the summer, is to be expanded to include a new passage with a special test. Specially tailored to Red Bull’s complaint [about Mercedes].https: //t.co/3snJMq0pst
– Tami. (@Vetteclerc) November 20, 2021
Mercedes’ edge ahead of the rest of the grid
The whole controversy unfolded after Lewis Hamilton won the Sao Paulo GP after receiving a hefty penalty over the weekend. The Briton marched like a ball through midfield. The data showed that Hamilton was 7.7 km / h faster than Verstappen in qualifying in Brazil. However, in qualifying in Qatar, the Briton had a reduced advantage of 3.4 km / h over the Dutchman.
Mercedes’ lead over the rest of the grid except Red Bull was 1.24 percent at Interlagos, while it was only 0.596 percent at Red Bull. The Brackley team’s lead in Qatar dropped to 1 percent over the rest of the grid with the exception of the Milton Keynes team.
Red Bull is pushing for better control
Red Bull boss Christian Horner and consultant Helmut Marko have loudly emphasized the advantage that Mercedes has on the straight. “The way the car goes by on the straight is not normal,” said Marko, as reported by PlanetF1.
“If we think the car does not comply with the regulations, we will protest. The straight-line speeds that we saw in Mexico and Brazil, I mean, I think everyone could see Brazil, that wasn’t a normal situation, “said the Horner at the FIA press conference in Qatar.
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After Red Bull vowed to protest Mercedes if it continued to drive its rear wing from Brazil, the focus is now on “scores” indicating a prohibited ploy to increase top speed
This is how the situation developed 
https: //t.co/S9p2BcPfgU # F1
– Motorsport (@autosport) November 19, 2021
Meanwhile, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff doesn’t care too much about Red Bull allegations. “I think we have been checked 14 times on this very special wing,” he said. “The FIA has all the drawings about it, there’s nothing Red Bull expects there. So we’d be happy to send it to you, cut it to size, send one to Milton Keynes for you. “
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With two more races in the season, it should soon be settled on the track. Tell us what you think about this controversy.
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The post REVEALED: How’s the Mercedes F1 Car So Fast? Deciphering the rear wing controversy first appeared on monter-une-startup.
