The new rules regarding front wings are expected to have little impact during the Spanish Grand Prix, according to Max Verstappen, who made his stance clear. “At most, it might slightly alter the balance of the car,” he said on Thursday in the paddock.
A complete reshuffling of the starting grid, a redefinition of the balance of power, and McLaren’s lead evaporating like snow in the sun? Those expecting such outcomes are likely to be disappointed this weekend during the Spanish GP. The new rules for front wings are intended to prevent certain advantages among teams.
The issue at hand is the bending of a front wing under load. Previously, this could be up to 15 millimeters, but from this weekend onwards, it will be limited to a maximum of 10 millimeters. Red Bull has been claiming for months that McLaren has been using the current rules to their advantage, so the expectation is that the British team will slow down. However, more and more people are beginning to doubt this. Many in the paddock, including Verstappen, believe the impact will be minimal.
“It might slightly alter the balance in the cars,” predicts the four-time and reigning world champion. Verstappen’s message is clear: “I really don’t expect any significant differences in terms of time gained or lost. It certainly won’t make much difference to us.”
He continues: “We never had an advantage from it. I just don’t know whether we didn’t approach it correctly or simply didn’t get the most out of it. But it won’t make much difference for other teams either: if you have a good car, you’ll still have a good car after this rule change.”
