Suspicion over which teams will “suffer” from F1 flexi-wing clampdown

Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley believes Formula 1’s front-running teams could be hardest hit by the FIA’s clampdown on flexible wings, as new tests debut at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

From Barcelona onwards, the FIA will enforce stricter load tests on front and rear wings, outlawing the extreme flexing some teams have used for aerodynamic advantage. Each team on the grid is expected to bring upgrades to ensure their cars are compliant with the rules.

The jury is out on how that would impact the pecking order in F1, but Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur recently said that it could be a “game changer” for teams at the sharp end of the field.

Sauber team principal Jonathan Wheatley also has reason to believe the field could close up in Barcelona, as he claimed some of his rivals had been exploiting the previous flexi-wing rules.

“Every team has to have an upgrade of some description next week because of the new rules with front wing flexibility,” Wheatley told reporters including Crash.net in Monaco.

“Last time we spoke about that I was hoping that [change] might sort of tighten the pack a little bit more if you like. Maybe other teams are getting more advantage from that than others.

“I'm a very optimistic person and I'm hoping that other teams are going to suffer more than we are. I'm hoping that it will bring everything our way and that's the way I'm looking at [it].”

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with its technical layout and emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency, is considered an ideal venue to evaluate car performance

As such, Wheatley expects the impact of the stricter flexi-wing tests to be immediately clear in qualifying this weekend.

“We as a sport have been talking about it [flexible wings] a long time,” he said. Certainly, [at the] beginning of this year some teams were getting a really big advantage from it.

“All the teams are very very clever. They will be trying to mitigate the loss of advantage as much as they can.

“It's an aero circuit, Barcelona. I think we will know pretty soon after qualifying.”

New updates at Sauber

Sauber currently sits 10th and last in the constructors’ championship, with Nico Hulkenberg’s impressive drive to seventh in the Australian GP marking the only points finish for the team so far.

The Audi-owned team, however, is expected to bring a sizeable update to Barcelona to close the gap to other outfits at the lower end of the grid.

Asked if Sauber’s upgrade package for the Spanish GP will include more than just a front wing, Wheatley said: There are a few bits and pieces you will see. We will announce it in the pre-race FIA medium.