Azerbaijan GP to see protests? Red Bull Racing advisor hits back at Mercedes' Toto Wolff

Red Bull Racing and Mercedes F1 are locked in a battle for the championships this season with Max Verstappen going toe to toe with the legendary Lewis Hamilton. The constructors’ championship is split by one point in Red Bull’s favour, while the drivers’ championship split by four in Max Verstappen’s favour over Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Azerbaijan GP. The two teams have also sparred on the subject of flexi-wings, which will be under immense scrutiny during the upcoming Grand Prix. Here is the F1 2021 flexi-wings explained in detail -

Red Bull Racing, Mercedes F1 clash on Flexi-wings subject ahead of Azerbaijan GP 

After Lewis Hamilton's comments in Spain, Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner said the FIA were "completely happy" with their car. The Mercedes F1 star claimed that the Red Bulls gained a performance advantage via a bendy wing on the back of their car which helped them gain at least three-tenths in the straights. Horner naturally was not impressed and said that the car is scrutineered thoroughly and there are fallback tests it has to pass

 He further expressed surprise at those comments suggesting that the FIA were happy with the stringent tests the team was conducting. Horner said that it was unlikely to be Hamilton's opinion, and shifted the blame on Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, claiming that he has raised the issue previously. That process is creating a scenario where official protests could be launched in the lead-up to race day in Baku, but Red Bull are preparing their own line attack by potentially protesting Mercedes’ front wing, which has also shown a lot of movement in some onboard footage in previous races this season.

In a recent interview, Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko suggested that the regulations should also look into Mercedes' front wing. Wolff hit back suggesting that if Red Bull do protest the W12’s front wing, then they will do exactly the same with the Red Bull front wing. 

F1 2021 flexi-wings explained 

The F1 rules dictate that all components influencing a car’s aerodynamic performance, such as front and rear wings, must be “rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car” and “remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car”. In theory, movable and flexible aerodynamic objects aren't allowed as they can offer a performance gain. To ensure parts are not flexing (or moving) under aerodynamic load, the FIA puts wings through load and deflection tests.

To make the F1 2021 flexi-wings explained further, if a part fails the test, it can’t be used. Earlier this month, the FIA issued a technical directive stating that the load tests would be changing. No team has failed a deflection test, but some teams including Mercedes and McLaren, are unhappy because they believe that such flex contravenes the rules. The changes will come into effect after the Azerbaijan GP, giving further advantage to their rivals as the flexible wing will be particularly effective at Baku, which has the longest straight track on the calendar. 

Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule

• June 4: Practice 1 (2:00 PM to 3:00 PM IST)
• June 4: Practice 2 (5:30 PM to 6:30 PM IST)
• June 5: Practice 3 (2:30 PM to 3:30 PM IST)
• June 5: Qualifying (5:30 PM to 6:30 PM IST)
• June 6: Main Race (5:30 PM to 7:30 PM IST)

(Image Courtesy: formula1.com)