Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has suggested the impact of changing the rear wing of an F1 car to comply with new tests brought in by the FIA to prevent flexi-wings could cost up to $500,000.
Red Bull’s rear wing was scrutinised by Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix after onboard footage showed visible flexing under high aerodynamic loads, leading to the FIA swiftly notifying teams tests would be changed to prevent such oscillations.
Asked what the implications of any changes to comply with the new tests would be in the budget cap era of F1, Horner said: “I think for a team like us that is obviously running up against the cap then of course, strategically, you have to make choices.
“The impact of something like this is probably half a million dollars so that will prevent something else from happening but that is the juggling act we are now having to make with the budget cap and financial regulations.”
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and McLaren counterpart Andreas Seidl have both declared their frustration at the FIA that the tests will not start until the French Grand Prix.
Horner, however, has insisted time must be given for teams to implement new parts on the car.
“I think there has to be a lead time,” he added. “You cannot just magic up components.
“If they changed the tests on front wings this weekend, and we have seen far more performance from front-wing flexibility, shall we say, then that would affect every single team and some much greater than others.
“There has to be a lead time. You cannot expect parts to be magicked up overnight without costs being incurred.
“The car complies to regulations that have been there for the last 18 months with these load tests and then the regulation has been changed, the tests have been changed, and there has to be a notice period for that.”
