FIA not ruling out 'dynamic' flexi-wing checks

Jun.1 (GMM) The FIA is not ruling out ‘dynamic tests’ to clamp down even harder on flexible wings in Formula 1.

Nikolas Tombazis, the Paris-based federation’s single-seater chief, has had a busy weekend in Barcelona as tough new flexibility checks debuted for McLaren-style bendy front wings.

It has had little impact on the pecking order, with McLaren still 1-2 in qualifying.

“What a waste of money,” seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton is quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Nothing has changed. Everyone’s wings are still bending – they’re just getting halfway to the bending point now and everyone has had to build new wings and spend money to make them.

“It would have been better for everyone to donate the money to charity,” the Ferrari driver added.

Tombazis doesn’t deny that the teams are still up to clever flexibility tricks even in Barcelona.

“The teams arrived prepared with more rigid wings and some aerodynamic modifications,” he told Sky Italia on Saturday.

Tombazis admits that dynamic tests – checks evaluated by the FIA when the cars are actually running on track – are now “a possibility”.

“First, the issue is to better understand the precision of the measurements,” he added. “For now, we use dynamic tests to calibrate the static tests.”

Also tested by the teams on the FIA’s behalf this weekend have been new steel materials underneath the car instead of the usual spark-producing titanium.

“For now it’s an experiment,” Tombazis said, “so it’s too early to judge.

“It weighs more, but it’s the same for everyone. We think the consumption is similar.”

Some think it’s a shame that the steel will not produce the same spectacular sparks, but Tombazis clarified: “The intention is to use them only on tracks where there is a risk of fires.”