Lewis Hamilton has slammed the FIA for their new technical directive for the Spanish Grand Prix, which forced all teams into changing their front wings after the ‘flexi-wing‘ debate came to a head.
Hamilton claimed the new directive was a ‘waste of money’ as it had changed nothing within the field, and the money should be ‘given to charity’. Hamilton was baffled and made his thoughts clear when asked about the front wings, and said the pecking order remained the exact same.
Lewis Hamilton’s comments on the new technical directive
Lewis Hamilton is a key figure in the world of F1, and he was quick to share his opinion on the technical directive surrounding ‘flexi-wings’, which resulted in all 10 teams needing to change their front wings, However, Hamilton has claimed it has made “no difference” to the field.
In an interview regarding the directive, Hamilton said, “A waste of money, it’s just wasted everyone’s money. It literally changed nothing.” He further added, “Everyone’s bent wings still bend, it is just half the bending, and everyone’s had to make new wings, and spend more money to make these. It doesn’t make sense.”
Norris Fastest in FP1 at Spanish GP as FIA Flexi-Wing Clampdown Leaves Pecking Order Unchanged
Hamilton further cemented his position on the matter by commenting, “We should be giving it to charity.” Even after all the teams have been made to change their wings. The pecking order of the 10 teams remained the same, further proving Hamilton’s stance on the matter.
How much did the teams spend to make new wings?
It is reported that each new front wing can take about £100,000 to make, including research and development costs, and with the current cost cap circulating Formula 1, it is money the teams would have rather saved to spend on further upgrades for their cars and the battle for the respective championships.
What Are Flexi Wings in F1 and How Do Teams Take Advantage of Them?
The FIA had planned this ruling to come into effect, but had delayed it until the Spanish Grand Prix due to the vast majority of teams bringing front wing updates to that race as part of their usual development programme. The move to change the front wing directive is widely perceived within F1 to be pressure from Red Bull over McLaren’s use of flexi-wings.
Hamilton will be hoping the longer-term effects of the new directive will see his Ferrari move further up the field and make progress after an underwhelming start to the season. However, for now, the pecking order will remain unchanged as the new wings do not affect running.
