Norris points finger at Red Bull in ongoing F1 flexi-wing saga

Lando Norris has pointed the finger back at Red Bull as F1’s latest drama around flexi-wings continues. 

In the Azerbaijan GP, on-board footage from Oscar Piastri’s race-winning McLaren showed the rear-wing of the MCL38 flexing at high-speed, giving a pseudo-DRS effect, but the wing has passed all FIA tests and has been deemed legal.

This comes after a debate in recent weeks around the front-wings of the McLaren and Mercedes cars in particular, with Red Bull and Ferrari seeking talks with the FIA over the question, with the governing body since releasing a statement on McLaren’s wings.

Questions around flexi-wings are nothing new in F1, with Red Bull historically prompting debates around them in both 2010 and 2021 – something Norris picked up on when questioned.

“I am very happy that we’re doing a very good job, everything has been tested, everything is legal, so we are doing what we can,” Norris told media including RacingNews365. 

“That is what Formula 1 is for, exploring everything within the rules, and we’ve cleared all the tests and the FIA is happy so I am proud what the team is doing.

“They’re pushing the limits and that’s what you’ve got to do if you want to fight at the top and fight against people who are also known for doing such things and exploring every possible area.

“I’m proud of the team for pushing every single area that we can, we’ve not been in situations where we could do that in the past, but now we are in that position, so I am happy and it is a good thing to see.”

Not just McLaren

Norris, who is 59 points behind title rival Max Verstappen in the standings, also insisted that other teams were using similar designs, but it was just McLaren who were being picked out. 

“There’s so many things, but teams, including us, are finding ways to explore and look at different things other people have not thought of, but as much as you might see us doing it, there’s plenty of other teams doing it that you just don’t see on TV,” he said.

“Maybe they have not led a race so you don’t see it on certain cameras or stuff, but it is not just us. 

“It is a big game, a big race out there and from my side, I’m very happy with what McLaren is doing.”