‘Game changer': New F1 rule change brought in for Spanish Grand Prix
Don't miss out on the headlines from F1. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A new rule is being introduced at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix and it has the potential to shake-up the remainder of the Formula One season.
After McLaren was investigated for its rear wing 'mini DRS' last year and its rear tyre cooling advantage, front wings are the latest area of F1 cars where the rules have been tightened up.
The FIA has confirmed from this weekend, all F1 teams will be subjected to updated static load tests. Specifically, the maximum permitted front wing deflection under load will be reduced from 15mm to 10mm.
Five millimetres may not sound like a lot, but it gives teams less room to design a front wing that can flex at high speeds.
Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
The sport's governing body doesn't want aero elasticity to be a talking point in F1.
The FIA's Nikolas Tombazis said: 'When championship battles become intense, teams tend to focus on each other's cars a lot, and naturally they raise concerns and over the latter half of the season we came to the conclusion that we needed to toughen a bit more the tests for 2025.
'We frequently test in parc fermé conditions — either on Saturday after qualifying or Sunday morning, as obviously, in parc fermé teams cannot make changes to their car.'
It remains to be seen if the front wing change will have an effect on McLaren's dominance or bring the already condensed F1 grid even closer together.
McLaren is way out in front in the constructors championship on 319 points, with Mercedes 172 points behind. But only five points separates Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari in the battle for second.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is hopeful the change will be a 'game changer' and help turn his team's fortunes around following a difficult start to the season.
'Barcelona is on the calendar of everybody in the paddock with the new regulation for the front wing,' Vasseur said.
'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.
'I think we stick to this, and we'll be focused on this to have the better exploitation of the new front wing.'
F1's front wing clampdown begins this weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix. (Photo by)
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc told Sky Sports: 'You can hear rumours in the paddock and some people will be more affected than others, for sure. I don't think on our side is going to change a lot, but we'll see.'
Speaking to news.com.au, Supercars legend Mark Skaife predicted the front wing change to 'have an effect' on the status quo.
'If the other teams think that whatever the front wing change gives their car a step up or it gets them closer to McLaren, then that's good for the game,' Skaife said.
Sauber's team principal Jonathan Wheatley said: 'I'm a very optimistic person and I'm hoping that other teams are going to suffer more than we are.'
It remains to be seen what effect the rule change has. (Photo by)
Ferrari's team principal Fred Vasseur hopes it will be a 'game changer'. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)
'Healthy' McLaren battle has Prost-Senna potential
After eight races, Oscar Piastri leads his McLaren teammate Lando Norris by just three points following the Brit's victory in Monaco.
Max Verstappen can't be counted out in the championship battle, which is set to go down to the wire this year.
Piastri will look to strike back this weekend in Barcelona, where he has struggled in his two appearances at the circuit, qualifying 10th both times.
McLaren have opted not to pick a No. 1 driver this year and Skaife believes the rivalry within the team can only be a good thing.
'It's very, very healthy to have the level of competition that they've demonstrated,' he said.
'I know they're not the names yet, but it's reminiscent for me of the Senna-Prost battles.
'In the history of the sport, the Senna-Prost battle at McLaren has probably been the pinnacle, not just because their extraordinary careers and their driving, but because they went about it differently.
'I would have said pre-Monaco that Oscar had Lando's measure. Oscar's been superb.
'Then on the weekend Lando had the counterpunch in a big response, especially in qualifying.
'I'm intrigued. I'm absolutely fascinated as to the swings and roundabouts of how this year's going to unfold.'
Watch every practice and qualifying session of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, including the race on Sunday at 11pm AEST on Kayo Sports.
Originally published as 'Game changer': New F1 rule change brought in for Spanish Grand Prix
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
30 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Carlton defender Jack Silvagni in doubt to face Collingwood
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Silvagni was confined to run-throughs on the far wing at Ikon Park alongside injured forward Harry McKay as the Blues held an open training session on Monday morning. He spoke at length to the Blues' trainers before moving inside about 30 minutes into the session. Fellow defender Jacob Weitering moved well in a promising session after battling an ankle injury in the Blues' heavy loss to Port Adelaide, but losing Silvagni would force another reshuffle of the club's key position stocks ahead of the prime time clash with their arch rivals. About 40 Carlton supporters watched on in the stands as the under-pressure side was put through its paces. There was minimal security presence and the session passed without controversy except for one rowdy onlooker standing outside the gates. 'Bit of voice, lads! Bit of voice, come on. Library,' he yelled out. Blues skipper Patrick Cripps trained fully after dealing with illness over the past week, as did sore ruckman Tom De Koning. Embattled coach Michael Voss was not spotted, but rarely ventures on to the track during the first session of the week. MORE TO COME. Jay Clark's Top 50: Who reigns as footy's number one man?
Mercury
an hour ago
- Mercury
Carlton defender Jack Silvagni in doubt to face Collingwood
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Silvagni was confined to run-throughs on the far wing at Ikon Park alongside injured forward Harry McKay as the Blues held an open training session on Monday morning. He spoke at length to the Blues' trainers before moving inside about 30 minutes into the session. Fellow defender Jacob Weitering moved well in a promising session after battling an ankle injury in the Blues' heavy loss to Port Adelaide, but losing Silvagni would force another reshuffle of the club's key position stocks ahead of the prime time clash with their arch rivals. About 40 Carlton supporters watched on in the stands as the under-pressure side was put through its paces. There was minimal security presence and the session passed without controversy except for one rowdy onlooker standing outside the gates. 'Bit of voice, lads! Bit of voice, come on. Library,' he yelled out. Blues skipper Patrick Cripps trained fully after dealing with illness over the past week, as did sore ruckman Tom De Koning. Embattled coach Michael Voss was not spotted, but rarely ventures on to the track during the first session of the week. MORE TO COME. Jay Clark's Top 50: Who reigns as footy's number one man? Originally published as The latest AFL teams and injury news ahead of round 17
Courier-Mail
3 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
‘Utopia': huge Aus change no one saw coming
Don't miss out on the headlines from On the Road. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'Dad, do you love the Tesla?' That was the emotional question from my 10-year-old old son after we had spent a heartwarming hour-long bonding session together on the fourth day of the Year of Our Lord 2535. That is, the fourth day we had had our new Tesla Model Y Juniper. It has been a whirlwind courtship so far (in what seemed far, far into the future) and the big questions were already being asked. It was only a year since we (I) had parted ways with the love of our lives – our V8 Commodore stationwagon. That was a relationship meant to last forever, or at least until the kids sent me off into a 'retirement' home, but it wasn't to be. MORE: Tesla reveals major Robotaxi move 2025 Tesla Model Y – do you love me? And while that was a horrible farewell and the heartbreak was still raw, I had to be honest with myself and my son. 'I do mate, I love the Tesi,' I said. 'Me too dad, he replied,' tear-laden eyeballs deep into his third game of Stardew Valley (whatever that is) for the morning from the back seat. At last we were a happy family. The circle of joy was complete. The Tesla had made it so. At least until the next trip when the boys would prep for WWIII again over who got to the Tesla first, who was getting into the Tesla first, who was sitting where and who would get to play Stardew Valley first. In reality, it was the infinity cycle of happiness and being on the verge of WWIII. So it goes, with Tesla. FROM V8 TO EV It seems like eons ago now but back in 2013, I'd gotten married, the Roosters won the NRL premiership and I'd finally bought my dream car, a black Commodore SS Wagon with a glorious 6.2L V8 under the bonnet that sounded like the Gates of Heaven were opening just me for everytime I went close to the redline. MORE: Aussies 'not ready' for advanced driver tech The Commodore V8. Gone but not forgotten. It was a three-way dead heat as to what was the greatest event that year for me. They were all meant to last forever, or until death do us part. 12 years later: + Marriage – tick (I think) + The Roosters have added two more titles in that time – tick + The Commodore – RIP. Give me a moment, it's tough writing about this. Meat Loaf would say 'Two outta three ain't baaaad'. I wouldn't have agreed, until the Tesla came into my life and changed it forever. It's even parlayed one and two above, the Tesla serves my wife up with a daily slice of contentment, the Commodore never could. 'Fancy', 'toasty' and 'ooh very nice' were three joyful utterances she never made (or perhaps they just weren't heard – probably not) as my beloved V8 roared through the suburbs rattling windows, exciting schoolboys and scaring grannies (sorry mum). MORE: The end of travel as we know it Remember Buck Rogers from the 25th Century? He drives a Tesla there now. LIVING IN THE 25TH CENTURY But that was then and this is now. And I probably wouldn't have believed you if you said it would end up like this. Nothing gets you over the last one like the next one, they say, and thanks to the new and improved Model Y, I'm Buck Rogers living in the 25th Century. It's not 2025 when I drive now, it's at least 2525. I'm still married. The Roosters have won 1000 more premierships, the Liberal Party is still in Opposition, we are still in the loop of WWIII-emphatic joy but it's still a great place to be. The V8 Commodore hasn't yet been forgotten by me But it never resembled a near-light speed travelling couch complete with YouTube and the PS5, or had cameras they could twerk at, so it's D.E.A.D. to my boys. Me? I still think about her curves and her purrs her when I hear a Mustang fang past. Although life inside the Tesla is so tranquil I hardly hear any other cars anymore. And the AC/DC soundtrack of the V8 has been replaced with some 80s synth pop that makes you feel like you're in an Elon Musk-certified future. 'Is this Utopia?' I figured that might be my son's next question, when he learns that this is what it feels like. Is this driving Utopia? Picture: Mark Bean It's not. I still have to get out of the Tesla and go to work, or do the shopping or walk in the house. But it's close. Do you know, it even parks itself? The Model Y doesn't have the rough and ready feel of the V8, nor the does demand corners move aside like the lowered 'Dore did. The Commodore was a real driving experience. It wanted to go fast, it wanted to roar, it wanted to drive. The Tesi just wants to make you happy. It's nauseatingly fast. So much so my wife has asked me not to plant the foot when she's in the car. The boys asked me to do it at every traffic light. The Model Y's weight is sometimes noticeable when turning corners and especially when going downhill However the considerate and attentive sensors are a lifetime away from the incessant anxiety-inducing beeps of Holden's Dark Age parking tech. The V8's thirst for 98 unleaded never upset me, it was like feeding a wagyu tomahawk to a Golden Retriever – you always got back what you put in. Still might go back to the old love one day. Ford Mustang V8 Dark Horse. The EV charging issue is already slightly irking me. I don't have charging in my unit, so it's going to be an eternal search. But it's a small price to pay for the love we have all found. I gotta go now, I haven't been on the Tesla app for a few mins and I have to see how she's going. I'm not completely sold on the whole EV thing though. I do miss that guttural roar. When the kids are old enough to have the Tesi passed down to them, I'm gonna get that V8 Mustang. Or I'll upgrade to the Cybertruck. Originally published as 'Utopia': huge Aus change no one saw coming
