'It’s out of the regulation' - Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez question legality of McLaren's innovative rear wing

The McLaren Formula 1 team has come under scrutiny for their controversial rear wing design, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Sergio Perez openly questioning its legality. This controversy emerged following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where McLaren's Oscar Piastri took a memorable victory, but suspicions were raised about the aerodynamic enhancements on McLaren's MCL38.

During the race in Baku, Piastri's driving performance was stellar, securing his second Grand Prix victory. However, some fans and experts turned their attention to McLaren's rear wing after noticing an unusual flexing motion in the onboard footage of the MCL38. This flexing under load seemed to create what is being referred to as a "mini-DRS" effect, giving McLaren an aerodynamic advantage during the race.

Leclerc did not shy away from addressing the issue, labelling the McLaren rear wing as "controversial." The Ferrari driver, who finished second in Baku after failing to overtake Oscar Piastri, hinted that the wing design might not fully comply with the sport’s regulations. Though McLaren's car passed all technical checks, the rear wing’s flexibility raised questions about its adherence to the rules governing car design.

What did Sergio Perez say?

Red Bull's Sergio Perez also expressed his surprise over the situation, especially after the FIA, Formula 1's governing body, released a statement ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix confirming the car’s legality. "It's clear that it’s out of the regulations, and it is a legal car," Perez remarked, hinting at the perplexing nature of the situation. He added that McLaren had already used this rear wing design in previous races, but no action had been taken against them.

Despite this, Perez acknowledged that Red Bull must remain focused on their performance rather than McLaren’s tactics, as the fight for the Constructors' Championship heats up. Red Bull recently introduced updates to their RB20, specifically a tweaked floor design, which Perez believes will allow them to regain momentum lost due to the controversy surrounding McLaren’s design.