It looks as though the Red Bull outfit have reverted to their older spec front-wing, rather than risk using the new wing which is the subject of much controversy, despite team principal, Christian Horner, saying the team wouldn’t need to make any changes.
At the British GP in Silverstone, Red Bull debuted a new wing, suspected of flexing under extreme loads. The new style front-wing was subsequently used in Germany and Hungary where McLaren and Mercedes complained of it flexing beyond legal constraints.
The FIA took the decision to introduce stricter tests for the Belgium GP in a bid to combat the problem. Red Bull passed the new tests with flying colours but, it seems they have reverted back to their old style wing used before the flexi-wing controversy ignited.
The switch could possibly explain their competitiveness during qualifying, which has been nowhere near as dominant as the previous three races.
Not only this, but McLaren team principal, Martin Whitmarsh, and Mercedes team principal, Ross Brawn, have both noted that the current wing in use by the Milton Keynes based team, doesn’t appear to be flexing as much as it previously has.
“The wings were of a different stiffness and positional domain than they had been in previous races,” Whitmarsh told Reuters.
Whilst Brawn added: “I think all of us can see that what was visible in the last couple of races doesn’t seem to be the case here.
“I don’t know what has happened but it looks visually to me to be different.”
Indeed photographic evidence from Valencia, Silverstone, Hungary and Belgium backs up the theory that Red Bull have returned to their older wing – did the new wing fail the increased weight tests back at their factory?
(above) Belgium: Normal camera bar position (1)
(above) Hungary: Camera bar has moved between supports (2)
(above) Belgium: Camera bar has moved between supports (2)
(above) Belgium: Normal camera bar position (1)
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