Winging it? Formula One rule change raises hopes of a reset

BARCELONA – McLaren’s Formula One rivals are hoping that stricter front wing tests could help to close the gap to the runaway leaders in Spain this weekend.

Even if title-chasing teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are confident little will change, others remain unconvinced.

F1 teams were told in January that the front flex tests would be implemented from June 1, after rear wings came under increased scrutiny when the season started in March.

Teams have had to redesign their front wings to make them stiffer, which will affect the aerodynamics.

“I think Barcelona is on the calendar of everybody in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing,” Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, whose team are fourth overall and a point behind Red Bull, said in Monaco last weekend.

“We are working on it for ages now and this can be a game changer for everybody because we don’t know the impact on every single team of the new regulation.”

Champions McLaren, winners of six of eight races so far and a mighty 172 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors’ standings, say the circuit itself could have a bigger effect, with high-speed corners not naturally suiting their car.

Rivals will be watching closely either way.

“What we don’t know is how it will affect others. It’s a significant change,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner, whose reigning champion Max Verstappen is chasing a fourth successive Spanish Grand Prix victory.

“There will be some effect. Of course, the teams have anticipated that, so it may well be neutral, or maybe it will have some effect on (tyre) degradation... it certainly doesn’t make life easier.”

Four-time world champion Verstappen triumphed on his Red Bull debut as a teenager at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the 2016 edition and will hope another win, his fifth in Spain, will propel him into the thick of the title race.

The 27-year-old Dutchman is 25 points adrift of drivers’ championship leader Piastri and 22 behind Norris.

McLaren’s excellent aerodynamic car, designed to enable their drivers to manage tyre wear and deliver fast times, may be affected by the tightening up of the rule more than others.

“But we don’t know how it will affect them,” added Horner.

Barcelona is a high-downforce track and overtaking is not easy, although fans can hope for a better race than Monaco’s no-overtaking procession.

“It will be interesting to see who has better interpreted this new challenge and if it will change the actual ranking of competitiveness,” said Haas technical director Andrea de Zordo.

Piastri is only three points clear of Norris after the latter’s win in Monaco and both will be the centre of attention in Spain.

Norris has the momentum, beating Piastri in the last two races, even if the Australian leads by four wins to two.

The Briton is still smarting from a win that got away in Spain last season after taking pole and then losing out at the start to Verstappen.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has won a record-equalling six times in Spain but is still waiting for his first win with Ferrari – apart from a Shanghai sprint victory – since he joined from Mercedes in January.

Mercedes, meanwhile, are also looking to return strongly after a double blank in Monaco with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

Spain’s two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will have strong support and hopes to end his worst start to a season in a decade, with the Aston Martin driver pointless after eight races.

Carlos Sainz is making his home return in Williams colours after losing his Ferrari seat to Hamilton.

Barcelona faces an uncertain future, with Madrid set to host the Spanish GP from next season.

Alonso, who this week became an ambassador for the Barcelona circuit, has said the track needs to stay on the calendar. Sainz is carrying out a similar promotional role for Madrid, adding piquancy to their friendly rivalry. REUTERS, AFP