Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has called for an end to the constant complaining from his outfits rivals about their so called ‘flexible front-wing’.
Rivals, fans, commentators and the media have all been discussing Red Bull’s front-wing since the start of the 2010 season when it was first noticed to be bending under load during the Chinese GP.
The comments were again sparked at the Australian GP a fortnight ago, with McLaren’s Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton questioning the legality of the car.
Horner offered a rather simple explanation as to why the wing appears lower than McLaren’s.
“McLaren have developed a car that has a very low rear-ride height, and therefore a low front wing for them doesn’t work.
“We run quite a high rake angle in our car. So inevitably when the rear of the car is higher, the front of the car is going to be lower to the ground.
“It is obvious science, and therefore our wing complies fully with the regulations. It will look lower to the ground because the rake in the car is higher, but it is simple mathematics.”
Whether or not people will believe the explanation looks unlikely as several videos and photos show the wing bending under increasing pressure, rather than it being much lower when stationary as Horner suggests.
The 37-year-old says the complaints are rather flattering, but made it clear they must stop as the FIA is yet to find anything untoward on the car.
“We take it is a compliment to be honest with you,” he said.
“I think our front wing has been tested more than any other in the pit lane, and it complies with the regulations, which is what we have to do.
“We don’t have to pass a McLaren test, we have to pass an FIA one, and it complies fully with that.
“McLaren have developed a car that is effectively a different philosophy to ours.
“So the benefit we see from the front wing is different to the one they would see, and that is the basis behind it fundamentally.”
