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f1 james vowles of williams on if the flexible wing new rules are a problem

New rules regarding the flexi-wings "doesn't trouble" this team for 2025

16 February at 15:00
Last update 16 February at 15:00
  • Ludo van Denderen

In the middle of the upcoming F1 season, the technical regulations for front wings will change. From the Spanish Grand Prix onwards, they will only be allowed to deflect a maximum of ten millimetres (currently it is fifteen millimetres), with some teams expected to suffer more from this change than others. However, Williams and team principal James Vowles are not very worried about this change in the regulations.

As GPblog recently reported, the technical directive had already been communicated to the teams before Christmas, after which it was decided by mutual agreement that the change would take effect from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards. During the test in Bahrain, most teams are expected to use both the front wing for the races up to Spain and a wing that deflects a maximum of 10 millimetres.

Vowles: Rule change will "have a more profound effect on others"

The Williams team already had the intended front wing for 2025 in production the moment it became clear that a rule change was coming. However, Vowles does not believe the modification will cause his team any problems.

"In terms of exploiting that area, I think you'll find all teams are doing what they can, but there's just going to be teams that are more advanced in that area than others," Vowles told, among others, GPblog.

"I don't think we're market-leading in that particular area. However, what I can also say is the rule change at round nine doesn't particularly trouble me either or trouble us as a result of that, and it probably will have a more profound effect on others."

Vowles is possibly referring to teams like McLaren, with the British team having success last season with an interesting invention for the front wing operation, which will now have to change when the F1 circus arrives at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy

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