Shortly after the Sprint Qualifying session of the Chinese Grand Prix, an FIA notice puts a team in trouble: the Federation’s statement highlights a non-compliance by Williams regarding flexible wings. The irregularity was spotted by FIA delegate Jo Bauer.

While Lewis Hamilton celebrates his first (Sprint) pole position with Ferrari, the FIA issues a notice that could spell trouble for James Vowles’ Williams team. The British outfit has allegedly failed to comply with the Federation’s regulations on flexible wings, and the FIA may take action during the Chinese GP weekend.

Flexible wings, FIA statement: Williams now at risk
Williams has come under FIA scrutiny during the Chinese GP for failing to comply with Technical Directive TD034L on flexible wings. Jo Bauer, the Federation’s delegate, has reported the Grove-based team’s violation to the stewards.

“The Williams team did not provide the video files from its front and rear onboard cameras within one hour after the end of FP1,” reads the FIA statement. Teams are required to equip their cars with cameras to monitor wing flexibility and must submit their footage to the Federation within an hour after the session—in this case, Free Practice 1. Williams did not follow this directive, prompting an FIA investigation.

As described in Jo Bauer’s note, this requirement is outlined in the “Additional Diagnostics” section of Technical Directive TD034L. As a result, Williams is not in compliance with the FIA’s Technical Directive on flexible wings, and the Federation is investigating.

FIA summons Williams
Following Jo Bauer’s report, the FIA has officially summoned Williams in Shanghai. Representatives of the British team must appear before the Federation’s stewards at 8:30 AM on Saturday, March 22.

The Williams representatives will provide their explanations for the team’s failure to comply at 1:30 AM Central European Standard Time.

The post FIA statement on flexible wings: one F1 team is already in trouble – 2025 Chinese GP appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

After the announcement of Stefano Domenicali‘s renewal, with an official press release, the organizers announce the signing of the new version of the Concorde Agreement by the 10 F1 teams. The previous version would have expired at the end of this season. In the press release, F1 thanks all the teams for their commitment in continually raising the level of the sport.

What is the Concorde Agreement?
The Concorde Agreement governs the interactions between F1, the FIA, and the FOM (holder of the commercial rights of Formula 1, owned by Liberty Media). Teams are required to sign this agreement, which establishes the economic and regulatory conditions of the championship. This agreement determines how F1 revenues are distributed among the various parties involved, as well as defining the fundamental rules of the competition and the organizational framework that the teams must respect. The Concorde Agreement is usually renewed every few years and is crucial for ensuring the stability of the championship. The name comes from the location where it was originally signed, Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Formula 1 ensures long-term commercial strength
Although the section defining the internal powers of F1 has not yet been signed, the Concorde Agreement guarantees F1 long-term commercial stability. Investors, as also stated in the official press release, have seen exponential growth and positive benefits from these agreements. Therefore, Formula 1 has never been in such a strong position commercially.

Cadillac, the new F1 team starting in 2026, has also signed the Concorde Agreement
Cadillac, which will be the eleventh team on the grid starting next year, has had to regularly sign the Concorde Agreement as it will be in effect from 2026.

The post Formula 1 confirms all teams have signed latest Concorde Agreement, effective from 2026 season appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

The FIA has officially announced a tightening of technical regulations regarding flexible wings in Formula 1. After careful analysis conducted between the end of the 2024 season and the start of 2025, the FIA has decided to intervene to ensure greater fairness among teams, introducing a new technical directive with stricter tests on flexible wings starting from the next Chinese Grand Prix.

New FIA technical directive: what changes for flexible rear wings

The decision comes after a thorough assessment of rear wing deformations, observed through video footage and static tests conducted during the Australian Grand Prix. According to Article 3.15.17 of the 2025 Technical Regulations, if a vertical load of 75 kg is applied to each end of the main rear wing, the distance between the mainplane and flap (the so-called “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2 mm.

Starting from the Shanghai GP, this tolerance will be drastically reduced to 0.5 mm. However, given the communication sent to teams on the morning of March 17, a temporary tolerance of 0.25 mm will be applied exclusively for the Chinese race before the full limit is enforced at the Japanese GP.

Strict controls already in Australia

During the Australian weekend, all cars underwent the tests specified in Article 3.15.17 and were found to be compliant. The FIA confirmed that all single-seaters met the regulatory parameters and competed legally in Melbourne.

Additionally, before the race, in-depth tests were conducted on Lando Norris’s McLaren as per FIA communication:

– A vertical and angular deformation test was carried out on the main plane of the rear wing of car number 04.
– A deformation test was conducted on the tip of the main plane of the rear wing of car number 04.
– A deformation test was performed on the lower rear wing (beam wing) of car number 04.

Objective: more rigor and safety

This decision is part of a broader strategy. Among the planned interventions for the season are new tests for the front wing (coming into effect at the Spanish GP) and for the rear beam wing. The FIA’s objective is clear: to reduce the use of flexible components that could provide aerodynamic advantages not in line with the spirit of the regulations.

Monitoring will continue in the upcoming Grands Prix. The FIA is using trackside cameras during free practice sessions to check for any additional deformations that may not be detectable in static tests.

Teams themselves are also keeping an eye on rivals, and according to information from the Italian website F1inGenerale, there are significant concerns among the top teams. This directive will not only affect McLaren, which has shown greater flexibility.

These new rules represent another step in the ongoing technical evolution of Formula 1, aimed at ensuring the fairest and most transparent competition possible among all teams.

The post FIA introduces new limits on flexible wings: new technical directive for China and Japan appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

Doubts about the visit of FIA delegates to Ferrari have been dispelled. Thanks to further confirmations received today by the Italian website funoanalisitecnica.com, we can assert that the International Federation’s inspection at the Maranello headquarters did indeed take place. As we had anticipated in the past few days. Although the cars were not present due to the imminent race weekend at the Albert Park circuit in Australia, in addition to checks on CAD sources, it is quite easy to imagine that other specifications were present in the factory.

And in fact, after a very discreet inspection—carried out by some FIA delegates pushed by the constant complaints of various teams, including the one from Milton Keynes—Ferrari was declared completely innocent. These inspections are not strange at all. They are standard procedure. It is certainly not the first time that officials from the governing body have visited the factories of top-tier motorsport teams, especially those competing at the top of the standings.

The FIA’s approach to Ferrari and the other teams
There is an important clarification we must and want to make: the claim regarding the “legality check” conducted a week before the launch, which would supposedly make further FIA inspections unnecessary, is completely misleading. Formula One is full of these stories. They hardly need to be pointed out, but we will do so anyway. This kind of thing happens in almost every racing season nowadays.

Despite the fact that the FIA’s initial checks were already carried out with positive results—otherwise, the cars wouldn’t even be allowed to compete in the championship—it has become a recurring pattern in recent seasons for the governing body to backtrack. The reason? Reviewing ambiguous technical solutions due to relentless pressure from rival teams. The most recent example? Last year’s McLaren with the “mini DRS” affair.

That situation was initially deemed legal during FIA checks, only for the governing body to later, in a clumsy attempt to avoid controversy and not disrupt the championship, subtly suggest that the Woking team remove the disputed wing. A suggestion that was promptly followed—how curious, right? Not to mention the various technical directives issued mid-season in recent years to ban certain teams from using specifications deemed non-compliant with regulations. So… well… it’s time to take off the blindfold, gentlemen! Enjoy the season

The post FIA delegates carry out inspection in Maranello: Ferrari rear wing deemed legal appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

“I believe Ferrari and McLaren are still using the mini-DRS. It will be discussed in the future, it’s pretty obvious,” said Pierre Waché, technical director of Red Bull, at the end of the pre-season tests in Bahrain.

These words triggered an impressive media reaction, as such an attack is far from commonplace in Formula 1.

But what is the French engineer referring to? And what has happened since he made those comments to the press? Let’s recap everything.

What is mini-DRS and what will the FIA do?
The mini-DRS phenomenon was first noticed at last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, who went on to win the race.

By using a flexible high-speed solution, the rear wing of the “papaya” car opened slightly at the sides, reducing drag and giving the Woking team a competitive advantage.

After a brief investigation, the FIA denied the British team the possibility of reusing that exact aerodynamic specification, deeming it illegal.

However, no technical directive has ever been issued on the matter, which could happen even before the Australian Grand Prix. According to reports from Autoracer, the International Federation visited Ferrari’s factory (accused by Pierre Waché of “installing” the mini-DRS on the SF-25 car) to gain more clarity on the issue.

We can only wait for further updates, but one thing is certain: if the governing body does not intervene, the controversies will only increase.

The post Chaos with mini-DRS: FIA visits Ferrari factory, technical directive coming appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

The final year of Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s term is shaping up to be more turbulent than ever. With elections scheduled for 2025, the current president’s work is extremely complex, with many accusing him of having failed conspicuously. Among them are some British media outlets, who are formalizing an accusation against Mohammed Ben Sulayem that could result in legal action, worsening the FIA crisis.

The straw that broke the camel’s back may be linked to the last WMSC meeting, where key members were excluded. Additionally, many media outlets have complained about his failure to fulfill electoral promises. David Richards, president of Motorsport UK, has announced the possibility of legal action against the FIA, denouncing an alleged “gag order” imposed on members to limit transparency in internal discussions.

Richards and other officials, including Vice President for Sport Robert Reid, were excluded from the WMSC because they had not signed a new confidentiality agreement. In a letter addressed to Motorsport UK members, Richards expressed his dissatisfaction with the FIA’s management under Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership.

Before his term, David Richards supported Sulayem in the 2021 elections because he had promised to be a non-interventionist president. Furthermore, the current president had stated that management would be delegated to a competent CEO and that governance would be transparent. However, David Richards declared the following:

“I regret to say that over the past three years, there has been a clear failure to uphold these promises. The situation has even worsened. There are numerous media reports confirming that many senior FIA officials and volunteers have been dismissed or have resigned under unclear circumstances.”

He also denounced the restriction of autonomy for the Audit and Ethics Committees and the use of electronic voting to avoid in-depth discussions within the World Motor Sport Council. “Our British representative,” David Richards continued, “who had raised some issues, was removed along with the president of the Audit Committee. Several strategies have been adopted to limit the normal functioning of the World Motor Sport Council, particularly the use of electronic voting, which prevents essential discussions and debates on key issues.”

The threat of legal action against the FIA and Mohammed Ben Sulayem
“Very disappointing,” Richards admitted, “to have to report that we have yet to receive a response to these questions, nor to the fundamental one I raised. Where in the FIA Statutes is it stated that an elected member can be excluded from a meeting?”

With strong words and almost a combative tone, David Richards has demanded that the FIA be held accountable for its actions. This is a crucial task, as the election of a new president will take place this year.

“We have informed the FIA that if it does not respond to the issues we have raised, we will proceed with further legal action. This year, the FIA president will either be re-elected or replaced. Now more than ever, it is important to remind the FIA of its responsibilities and to continue demanding transparency and fairness on behalf of the sport and its members worldwide. This is what I intend to do.”

The post FIA and Mohammed Ben Sulayem face crisis amid legal threats and media scrutiny appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

Pierre Waché’s observation
On the final day of Formula 1 testing, Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Waché explained that he believed Ferrari and McLaren were still using the mini-DRS on the rear wing – a feature banned for the 2024 season. Further observations also showed that Mercedes exhibited some deformation at high speeds on the edges of the movable flap.

The FIA investigates
In addition to the stricter rear wing tests already planned for the season’s opening Grand Prix, the Italian website AutoRacer has highlighted that “the FIA’s technical office has sent teams an official request for new visual inspection measures” for the first round of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

These will involve cameras and stickers, similar to what was seen at last year’s Belgian GP, to check whether static tests have been bypassed in any way. Pierre Waché’s complaints have found support within the Federation, which aims to put the issue of wing flexibility behind, especially with the 2026 Formula 1 season in mind.

The post Mini DRS, FIA intends to investigate: cameras and stickers to assess rear wings in Australia appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

The FIA is once again changing the regulations for the 2025 F1 season with two substantial modifications that remove certain advantages teams previously could exploit. The changes concern formation laps and the return to the pits of damaged cars. Here’s what they specifically entail and what is changing.

What is changing in the FIA regulations for the 2025 F1 season?
Article 43.8 of the F1 sporting regulations has been modified so that all cars starting from the pit lane must join the formation lap. Previously, these cars would leave the pits only when the grid was formed, without taking part in the formation lap.

New Rules for Pit Lane Starts
Now, at the end of the formation lap, drivers starting from the pit lane will return to the pits and line up according to their qualifying order—unless they have positioned themselves after the five-minute signal before the start. In that case, they must join the back of the group for the formation lap.

This change closes several loopholes that teams could have exploited. In the past, cars starting from the pit lane could complete additional formation laps or participate in those conducted behind the safety car in heavy rain conditions, potentially gaining a strategic advantage. Furthermore, in the event of an aborted start with an extra formation lap, these cars could benefit from an additional lap of fuel, even though the race distance was reduced.

Another situation involved wet races: a car in the pit lane could wait for conditions to improve and start directly on intermediate tires, whereas the others would have to make a pit stop to switch from full wet tires.

With the new rule, all cars starting from the pit lane must complete every formation lap before returning to the pits. This prevents any unintended advantage.

New Rule for Damaged Cars
Another major change concerns the return to the pits of damaged cars. Now, the race director has the power to order a team to immediately stop its car if it poses a danger.

Although the FIA clarified that the change does not stem from a specific 2024 incident, an illustrative example comes from the Canadian GP. In that case, Sergio Perez brought his car back to the pits with a destroyed rear wing, scattering debris on the track. The incident led to a three-place grid penalty for the following Spanish GP and a €25,000 fine for Red Bull. The behavior was deemed an attempt to avoid triggering the safety car, which could have disadvantaged Max Verstappen.

The new rule states that any car with evident structural damage or significant failures that make it dangerous for the driver or other competitors must leave the track as soon as possible. At the race director’s discretion, the team may receive a direct order to stop the car immediately.

This change speeds up the application of the black-and-orange flag rule, which mandates a return to the pits for repairs. This system has been controversial since 2022, as some slightly damaged cars had continued racing, prompting the FIA to limit its use.

The post FIA modifies F1 regulations for 2025: important loopholes closed appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

FIA increases race stewards for six GPs The steward panel appointed by the FIA will increase from three to four members for six races of the 2025 World Championship. According to Autosport, the Federation made this decision as a precautionary measure for events with a high workload. Among these is Melbourne, which opens the championship on the weekend of March 16.

In the changes published on February 26, the FIA also amended Article 15.1 of the Sporting Regulations, now stating that the number of race stewards selected by the Federation will range “from a minimum of three to a maximum of four, one of whom will be appointed as chairman.”

As before, each panel will also include a steward appointed by the national sporting authority. Therefore, the total composition of the panel will vary between four and five members. According to British sources, the races with an increased number of stewards will be Melbourne, Shanghai, Montreal, Singapore, Mexico City, and Interlagos.

The issue of stewards also arose in 2024 due to controversies in the title battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The debates continued into the new year, as in January, Johnny Herbert was dismissed by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem over alleged incompatibilities between his role as a race steward and that of a pundit.

The post FIA expands F1 stewards panel for Melbourne GP with key rule change appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

Niels Wittich speaks
For the first time, Niels Wittich spoke about his sudden departure from the Federation, revealing the behind-the-scenes of his removal during testing at Sky Deutschland: “No one was able to give me an answer, the news really surprised me. I had no indication that something wasn’t working or that there was a reason for the change. In this sense, it was a total surprise.”

Niels Wittich continued: “I asked for an explanation, but no one answered me. The last time I spoke with the president of the FIA was last year in China, and I can’t say we had an argument or a negative relationship. Frankly, I had relatively few contacts with him. Such a sudden end to my mandate was a shame. F1 is quite fast when it comes to personnel, both within teams and among the directors, so I have to accept what happened for what it is,” concluded the former Formula 1 race director.

The post Niels Wittich hits back at FIA: “I was fired without explanations, it’s a shame” appeared first on Scuderia Fans.