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Red Bull can't catch a break: 'McLaren dominated in Spain thanks to them'

18:42, 06 Jun

byNorberto Mujica

McLaren were the clear dominant force in Spain with Oscar Piastri taking both the pole and the win comfortably and Guenther Steiner believes they could not have done it without fierce rival Red Bull Racing's help.

Since last year the flexibility of front and rear wing elements have been a matter of discussion in F1, with McLaren being the reported target of the wing flexibility clamp down.

Whereas last year the FIA reacted quickly against the so-called 'mini-DRS effect', this year the regulations that sought to mitigate front wing flexion didn't come in until the 9th round of the championship, the Spanish Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastrio at the Spanish Grand Prix

'In trying to slow them down they made them faster'

Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, former Haas F1 team principal commented on an alleged quick fix that helped McLaren stay within the regulations without having to develop a new front wing.

“This flexi-wing, it’s the same for everyone. I think Lewis came out with the comment that all this money was wasted on doing this and stuff like this. There was no money wasted,” said Steiner disagreeing with the seven-time world champion's assessment.

“Everybody went in to develop this one, because you have to make sure that your wing is not flexing. I read somewhere that McLaren, they just put an additional bracket on the wing so it doesn’t bend this much anymore.“

"So it was a very cheap fix to get rid of this flexi-wing, and part of it was the complaining of the other teams. They complained, but what did they gain? Nothing. They gave the McLaren more advantage.”

Since the end of last year Red Bull Racing is rumoured to be the team that is making the more noise in the background regarding the McLaren car's legality which has triggered stern responses from both papaya CEO and team principal Zak Brown and Andrea Stella respectively.

“McLaren knows exactly what they need to do with the car. If they lose the flexi-wing or the effect the flexi-wing gives them, they go to the wind tunnel and try to replicate what they had to get the same balance on the car again. And maybe you cannot get 100% there, but you get 99.8% there.”