F1 is once again caught in a heated technical debate, with fresh allegations suggesting that Ferrari and McLaren are experimenting with a controversial ‘mini-DRS’ concept.
The suspicions, raised during pre-season testing in Bahrain, focus on rear-wing flexibility—an area that has drawn regulatory scrutiny in the past. As teams prepare for the start of the 2025 season, concerns over compliance and potential performance advantages have reignited tensions in the paddock.
During last week’s discussions, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur and his Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner voiced their satisfaction with the FIA’s recent clarification on flexible front wings.
However, new onboard footage from Bahrain has now shifted the spotlight to rear-wing designs, fuelling speculation that certain teams may be pushing the boundaries of aerodynamic regulations and utilising
An anonymous team principal, speaking to The Race, shared concerns about what was observed during testing.
“Looking at the videos we have seen, some of the rear wings out there appear to be quite flexible,” they said. “It is something we are keeping a very close eye on.”
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The controversy surrounding “mini-DRS” emerged last season when McLaren was suspected of using a mechanism that increased the rear wing’s slot gap at high speeds, reducing drag and improving straight-line performance.
Now, reports suggest that Ferrari and McLaren may have reintroduced this tactic, potentially by allowing the entire rear-wing structure to rotate backward under aerodynamic load.
Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache expressed his belief that certain teams are once again testing the limits of the rules. “It is still going on,” he stated. “I think Ferrari and McLaren are doing the mini-DRS stuff still.”
FIA Regulations and Potential Scrutiny in Melbourne
Since pre-season testing is not subject to full FIA compliance checks, teams can experiment with new designs without immediate penalties. However, once the season officially begins, teams found in violation of regulations could face protests or forced modifications.
“It will be [an issue], it is quite visible,” Wache predicted, suggesting that discussions surrounding the legality of these F1 mini-DRS rear-wing adjustments will intensify once the paddock arrives in Australia for the opening Grand Prix.
The FIA has already introduced measures to prevent excessive rear-wing flexing, particularly following McLaren’s controversial rear-wing design at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The governing body revised technical regulations, reducing the allowed slot gap width from 10-15mm to 9.4-13mm while maintaining the 85mm limit when DRS is activated. Additionally, a new rule mandates that DRS bodywork must remain in either a fully open or closed position, eliminating the possibility of gradual flexing.
Article 3.10.10 of the F1 technical regulations explicitly states: “Except in the event of a DRS failure or transitioning from one position to the other, the DRS bodywork can have only two positions, such that the DRS bodywork position must be the same before and after each state of deployment. The transition time between the two positions must be less than 400ms.”
Further reinforcement of the rear-wing mainplane was also mandated under Article 3.15.17, which specifies that the gap between rear-wing sections must not exceed 2mm under specific aerodynamic loads.
With the first race of the season looming, Ferrari, McLaren, and any other teams suspected of leveraging rear-wing flexibility will be under close scrutiny. Whether formal complaints will be filed remains to be seen, but the “mini-DRS” controversy appears far from settled.
