The Mercedes team has provided text and explanation to the FIA about their much-discussed front wing. The wing came under scrutiny after the GP China, when footage showed that the component on Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s W17 did not appear to close within the maximum allowed time. Mercedes stated that it was due to reliability issues, and will have already taken steps to resolve them.
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The front wing of the Mercedes W17 caused quite a bit of discussion in the paddock after the GP China. Footage showed how race winner Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s front wing appeared to close in two separate phases at the end of the straight on the Shanghai International Circuit. The question was then frequently asked whether this was legal. According to the regulations, teams are only allowed to use two different positions for both the front and rear wing: one for the corners and one for the straights. A time window of 400 milliseconds applies to switch between those two positions.
Reliability issues
Kimi Antonelli’s wing appeared to fall outside this established time window, as it would change position twice. One team reportedly approached the FIA to ask questions about the wing, and Ferrari was immediately pointed to. However, the Italian team denies being behind the question. On Thursday morning ahead of the GP Japan, it became clear that the way Mercedes’ front wing closed was due to reliability issues, reportedly due to a lack of hydraulic pressure. As a result, the wing could not return to the higher position in one go.
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The FIA reportedly accepted the explanation from the Silver Arrows. The team has reportedly also made adjustments to resolve the reliability issues.
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Read everything about the GP Japan here
