Christian Horner debates impact of upcoming F1 rule change

Red Bull boss Christian Horner has said that the upcoming changes to the rules on the controversial flexi-wings will make the remainder of the Formula 1 season “difficult to predict.”

The flexi-wing has caused a significant amount of debate since their first appearances during the 2024 season.

The aeroelastic effect from the wings, increasing downforce and producing a mini-DRS effect on straights, became a hot button issue when McLaren used it to good effect in Azerbaijan, when Oscar Piastri went on to win.

The Woking-based squad were also able to make similar ground via its front-wing, and such was the controversy and issue-raising from other teams, that the FIA issued new directives to clamp down on such use of the wings two months ago.

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It stated that cars from Round 9 onwards – the Spanish Grand Prix – will have a maximum of 10mm in flex, as opposed to the current 15mm,

The leading teams struggling to overhaul McLaren’s current dominance will be hoping of this being an an opportunity to close the gap.

Ferrari believes that it can help close the gap, the Italian giants having endured a difficult start to the year.

Speaking to media including Motorsport Week, Horner said he is sure the changes will show differences in other teams’ performance up and down the grid.

“For sure it’s going to have an effect,” he said. “How much it affects your competitors versus your own, it’s difficult to predict, but for sure it’s a significant change. It’s not just a tweak. It will affect all of the cars, it’s just to what quantum.

Christian Horner hopeful of Red Bull improvement against ‘mightily impressive’ McLaren.

McLaren has seen a mix of the aforementioned aero nous and it superior tyre management to see itself clear in both Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

Red Bull has introduced some minor upgrades in both Bahrain and Miami, the latter being a revised floor on Verstappen’s car.

Horner showed optimism that perhaps the team could eat into McLaren’s lead, but acknowledged their brilliant start to the campaign, which gives them a huge buffer.

“It’s a 24-race championship, there’s a long, long way to go,” he said. “They’re looking mightily impressive at this point. As we leave Miami, things can change, but we need to start making an indentation into the points over the coming races.”

When asked if he feels if clawing back the deficit is possible, Horner acknowledged positives in the RB21’s improvements.

“I don’t think there’s a ‘Eureka’ moment, but I think it’s very fine, because if you look at the race pace and the degradation we had there was better than or at least the same and marginally better than McLaren.

“Two weeks later they haven’t brought a huge amount of different car specifications, it’s more circuit specific that has exposed these issues and I think the braking issues that we’ve had have compounded our issue because then you lose control of everything just runs too hot.”

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