All 10 F1 teams passed tests on the flexibility of their rear wings at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but further changes have now followed.
The entire paddock cleared the so-called deflection tests and have therefore been deemed legal for the event at Albert Park.
After RacingNews365 broke the news of the further impending changes, the FIA has confirmed more adjustments to the heavily-debated rules surrounding rear wings.
The motorsport governing body has announced a technical directive for the Chinese Grand Prix, with further changes planned for the subsequent round in Japan.
The current tolerance of 2mm on rear wing movement tests will be reduced to 0.5mm from the trip to Suzuka onwards.
For this weekend's visit to the Shanghai International Circuit, although the new tolerance will be in place, due to the short notice of the decision, a further discrepancy of 0.25mm will also be permitted.
Footage captured from practice sessions, twinned with in-garage scrutineering, showed the winter changes had not been enough to eradicate the "mini-DRS" issue from last year to an acceptable level.
The official statement from the FIA is below.
Official statement from the FIA
As has been previously communicated, between the end of the 2024 season and the start of the 2025 season, the FIA exercised the authority it is granted under Article 3.15.1 of the Technical Regulations to introduce either new or more challenging load-deflection tests for the front wing (from Race 9, Spanish Grand Prix), the upper rear wing, and the beam rear wing. In addition, the FIA requested to the teams to use cameras in Free Practice Sessions to monitor the on-track deformations exhibited by the cars during the Australian Grand Prix.
Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.
More specifically, Article 3.15.17, introduced in 2025, states that if 75Kg of vertical load is applied on either extremity of the rear wing mainplane, the distance between the mainplane and the flap (also known as “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2mm. From the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm. Due to the short notice for Shanghai only a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit.
The Teams were informed of this revised test early Monday 17th of March.
The FIA wishes to further confirm that during the Melbourne event all cars tested against the requirements of Article 3.15.17 and found to comply, therefore all cars raced in Melbourne were deemed to be legal.
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