FIA reveal why Mercedes escaped action over W17 front wing concerns

Mercedes came under the spotlight after the Chinese Grand Prix, when some observers noticed the W17’s front wing appeared to flex in a two-stage motion, exceeding the 400-millisecond limit set by the regulations — something that, in theory, could have delivered an illegal aerodynamic performance advantage.

On the eve of the Japanese Grand Prix, GPblog learned that the FIA had not opened any formal investigation into the matter. Mercedes did, however, introduce a change, understood to be linked to a reliability concern, which effectively ensured the car complied with the regulations.

Addressing the situation in an interview with Sky Italy, FIA single-seater chief Nikolas Tombazis outlined the reasons behind the decision not to take action against the team: "These are new regulations and all teams are still going through various adaptation phases. We take a very consistent approach with all teams when it comes to small irregularities — we are not prepared to refer everyone to the stewards over every minor issue.

Speaking about the possibility of rivals closing the gap to Mercedes — especially with a month-long break in April — Russell admitted it remains a real threat. He pointed to past seasons like 2022 and 2009, where early front-runners were eventually overhauled by rivals as development battles intensified over the year.

While confident Mercedes still have strong upgrades in the pipeline, Russell acknowledged the strength of the competition across the grid.

Red Bull are reportedly carrying excess weight, McLaren have yet to introduce their first upgrade package, and Ferrari are already showing strong pace — all signs that the competitive order could still shift significantly.