Sandy is a Formula 1 journalist at GPblog with growing expertise in the sport. Combining hands-on experience in interviews and paddock access with her studies in sports communication, she provides reliable coverage and fresh insights into the pinnacle of motorsport.
After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, McLaren were the topic of conversation, as there would be cheating allegations thrown in their direction from other teams on the grid. Neil Houldey, McLaren's engineering technical director, said the British team actually had "a sense of pride" about the 'flexiwing' controversy.
On the streets of Baku, McLaren allegedly used a rear wing that would be open just a bit more than it should be down the straights, creating a mini DRS in effect. Following reports and complaints from other teams, the FIA looked into it.
The governing body approved the rear wing according to the regulations, but they then instituted new regulations that teams must adhere to. McLaren's Houldey told Motorsport.com that the team is proud of all the controversy that was involved.
McLaren has "sense of pride" about mini DRS
The technical director said it felt good that teams were now so interested in what McLaren was doing, whereas a year ago no one cared about them: "As a team, actually, there's a sense of pride there, that there are other teams out there concerned about their position in the championship, concerned about what we're doing."
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The low-downforce wings are one component where McLaren managed to gain a lot of performance in 2024 compared to 2023. Last season, Red Bull Racing was the leader in this area. According to Houldey, McLaren are now very close to the form of Red Bull back then: "It's getting there and I'd say we're now very, very close [to Red Bull's strong DRS effect]."
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy
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