Andrea Stella, McLaren team principal, has played down flexi-wing accusations surrounding the team’s front wing, suggesting that rival Formula 1 teams are misdirecting their attention.
As McLaren continues to dominate the 2025 season, speculation about the legality and innovation behind their performance has intensified—but Stella insists it’s all a sideshow.
The British outfit has won five of the first six races this year and has firmly established itself as the team to beat. Its rapid rise began with a major upgrade at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, and since then, McLaren has transformed from a midfield contender to a championship powerhouse.
Their performance spike has puzzled the paddock and triggered theories ranging from tyre-cooling systems to exploiting aerodynamic elasticity, particularly at the front wing.
But despite McLaren passing every FIA technical inspection, the debate around wing flexibility refuses to die down—especially with the FIA set to clamp down further on front wing deflection at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
McLaren rivals focusing on fiction
Stella, speaking at Imola ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP, made it clear that the suggestions are not only baseless but potentially helping McLaren by distracting their competitors.
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“For us, it’s good news when our rivals get their focus – rather than on themselves – onto some of the aspects that allegedly are present in our car, and that effectively are not even present,” said Stella.
“And certainly, even if they were – let’s say front wing deflection, like everyone else – it has nothing to do with the reason why McLaren is very competitive.”
The Italian engineer, who previously worked with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, added that the fixation on potential loopholes misses the real story: McLaren’s all-round improvements.
“So, I hope that in the future there will be more of these kinds of sagas because it means that our rivals keep focusing on the wrong things, and this is, for us, just good news. It’s just helping our quest,” Stella said.
Verstappen and Red Bull echo Stella stance
Max Verstappen also voiced similar sentiments earlier in the weekend, calling on Red Bull to concentrate on solving their own issues rather than chasing theories about McLaren’s success.
“It’s a waste of time to think about these things,” Verstappen said. “We have a lot of work to do there and understand, of course, what we need to improve on. I think that’s more important.”
However, not everyone is as optimistic. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s senior advisor, admitted that hopes of a turnaround may rest on the FIA’s stricter front wing tests.
“The championship becomes increasingly difficult or unrealistic,” Marko told Sky Germany. “Maybe in Barcelona, when the stricter wing regulations come in; that could make a difference, but it will be tough. McLaren is simply strong on every track with every tyre.”
With McLaren performing consistently across different circuits and conditions, Stella’s confidence appears well-placed.
If rivals continue to obsess over potential flex-wing theories instead of developing performance solutions of their own, McLaren’s advantage might only grow stronger.
What did Andrea Stella say about McLaren’s flexi-wing allegations?
Stella dismissed the claims, saying McLaren’s rivals are misdirecting their focus and that front wing deflection is not behind their success.
Will FIA introduce new flex-wing tests in 2025?
Yes, the FIA plans to enforce stricter front wing deflection tests starting at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
How has McLaren performed in the 2025 F1 season so far?
McLaren has won five of the opening six races and leads both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships
