P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Guenther Steiner has dismissed Lewis Hamilton’s criticism of FIA’s flexi-wing clampdown.
Guenther Steiner disagreed with Lewis Hamilton’s statement that the new flexi-wing directive in Formula 1 was a “waste of money,” defining the compliance as “cheap” for teams. The FIA started enforcing stricter tests on moving aero parts at the Spanish Grand Prix, necessitating all cars to pass more rigorous static load tests for front wing flexing. Teams were given ample time to redesign new front wings per the updated regulations, having been notified of the change in January. Hamilton criticized the technical directive post the Barcelona race, asserting that the new front wing had minimal impact on performance. Guenther Steiner emphasized that teams did not incur excessive costs, with McLaren implementing a simple fix to comply with the regulation. Despite speculation that the directive could alter competitiveness, McLaren retained its dominance in Spain, showcasing the strength of its engineering department.
