F1 teams to face camera checks on flexi front wings

The use of flexible front wings in F1 has become a contentious issue of late, and the FIA has decided to monitor several teams during practice at the Belgian Grand Prix next weekend.

It is felt that some teams may be taking the 'flexi-wing' approach to extremes, which has become somewhat more prevalent in modern-day F1 due to ground-effect cars, with teams adopting flexible front wings to better balance their challengers.

It is permitted within the regulations, but the FIA is seeking to establish if the current rules are being taken beyond a reasonable boundary.

Up until now, the FIA has relied on static checks, but further analysis will be carried out on the first day of the Belgian Grand Prix.

According to Motorsport.com, a technical directive was distributed to all teams by FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis.

FP1 and FP2 at Spa-Francorchamps will see selected teams fitted with recording cameras that will be “focused on the inboard facing nominally vertical surfaces…to track the translation and rotation of target dots”.

The note also detailed how and where the dots will be positioned in order to capture any movement through the cameras.

Dots will be located on the inside of the endplates to monitor any movement on the front wing itself, as well as on the edges of the front wing flaps - both by the nose and towards the endplate.

This task will allow the governing body to establish the physics of the current front wings whilst being affected by airflow. 

If they are deemed to be outside an acceptable tolerance, changes to the regulations may be forthcoming.

It has not been confirmed which teams will be selected for the test, but all of the four front-running teams are believed to be employing flexi-wings to more or a lesser extent.