The FIA raised no concerns over an unusual change to Aston Martin’s rear wing which the team introduced this weekend, the team has said.
Aston Martin’s AMR22 is sporting a novel change to its rear wing element which is intended to increase the downforce it generates at a track where the penalty for producing drag is low.
The development prompted questions over whether it is in line with the intended goal of Formula 1’s 2022 regulations which are intended to promote overtaking. However Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack said the team took care to ensure the FIA had no concerns over its design.
“Developing a wing or developing ideas, you normally do not wait until the last moment before you show it [to the FIA],” he said today. “So we were in touch with the FIA all along the development to understand if this is something that would be accepted.
“It finally was, so that was for us the moment we said, ‘okay, we go for it’. I think there’s nothing special, at the end of the day. It’s an interpretation of the rules and we developed the wing according to that in conjunction with the FIA and that’s it, basically.”
Rival F1 teams could seek to outlaw the development for future seasons if there is enough support for the change at the F1 Commission. Changing the rules would require a ‘super-majority’ – 28 votes in favour from a total of 30, including 10 representatives each from FOM and the FIA, and one from each of the 10 teams.
“I’m not concerned about a super-majority or anything,” said Krack. “If the rules are changing, or if these kinds of designs are not allowed, we will cope with it.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said they were prepared to follow Aston Martin’s design leads. “I guess if it complies with the regs, that’s the main thing,” he said. “It opens up another avenue that’s interesting.”
Aston Martin introduced an extensive upgrade for their car at the Spanish Grand Prix which closely resembled Red Bull’s RB18. “Maybe for once we’ll copy something off an Aston Martin, rather than the other way round, you never know!” Horner joked.
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