Red Bull: Flexible front wings 'fuss' a 'compliment'

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has once again dismissed suggestions that the flexible front wing on their car is in anyway illegal, despite confirmation that McLaren is seeking 'clarification' on the matter from the FIA.

The wing has caused some controversy as it appears to flex towards the track when Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber are at speed and with movable aerodynamic devices banned, Martin Whitmarsh told the BBC that he found it 'difficult... to imagine' how it can be allowed.

Horner, however, is adamant that the innovation is fine and he reiterated it has passed the detection tests required.

"There are compliance tests which are pretty stringent that all components have to meet," Horner told reporters ahead of this Sunday's F1 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix. "It is interesting where the emphasis moves. So far this year we have had active ride height, we have had suspension, we have had diffusers looked at - and now we have front wings.

"As always there is never a silver bullet. The performance of any car comes down to how design philosophy and a combination of components work as opposed to any one particular component.

"There are stringent tests. I am happy that our car complies with all the regulations and take it as a compliment to our engineers when a fuss like this is sometimes made by rival teams," he added.

Ferrari also runs with a similar flexible front wing, which was introduced at the British Grand Prix, and team principal, Stefano Domenicali is also insistent - not surprisingly - that it is within the rules.

"For me, it is not a matter of opinion," he continued. "We need to rely on the governing body that is doing all the checks that they want. They did, at least I can say on our car, so it is a matter of respecting the regulations and really that's it.

"There are certain tests that you have to do with the front wing as you can do with other parts of the car and you have to respect the loads and the tests that are connected to that part specifically and if you pass that, then that's done."

Meanwhile, Whitmarsh conceded that if such things are considered okay, then McLaren will have to develop their own version in a bid to claw back time.

"If, ultimately, devices and systems are allowed [on parts] which in theory are meant to be rigid which allow devices to touch the ground, I guess we'll have to do it," he concluded.