Piastri: McLaren rear wing not the ‘magic bullet’ behind success

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Azerbaijan Grand Prix winner Oscar Piastri has rejected the claim that McLaren's intriguing rear wing design has been the "magic bullet" behind the team's recent success.

The Aussie delivered a stellar performance under pressure in Baku, securing his second career win in Formula 1 and helping McLaren seize the lead in the Constructors’ standings from Red Bull Racing.

However, in the wake of Piastri’s masterclass win, the rear wing on McLaren’s MCL38 came under close scrutiny after a video emerged on social media showing the upper flap flexing under load, potentially producing a ‘mini DRS’ effect without activation.

This controversial feature has since sparked discussions within the FIA about potential actions on flexible wings, despite the wing passing all standard load tests in the pit lane.

But Piastri is adamant that the design is legal and has passed all necessary tests.

“Well, it is legal,” the McLaren charger told the media ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

“As long as it passes all the tests – and we get tested a lot, it passes, so it is certainly not the magic ticket or magic bullet for why we’re competitive.

“It is legal, it passes all the tests, so I am pretty happy with it.”

Read also: FIA ‘closely monitoring’ McLaren flexi rear wing design

Piastri revealed that he only became aware of the rear wing's behavior after last Sunday’s race, as the intrigue regarding the element surfaced.

“To be honest, the first time I knew it did that was the same time as everyone else last week, and it is not a grey area,” he insisted.

“It gets tested every week, it is legal and they’ve got loads of different tests for the rear wings now, so I honestly did not know it did that until three days ago.

“Obviously in the sport you find every bit of performance that you can without breaking the rules.

“That is what we are doing and what you need to do to become a championship-winning car and team.”

Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris agreed, adding that McLaren is “doing a very good job” in bringing to the track innovations that other teams are already exploiting.

“Everything's been tested, everything's legal,” the Briton said. “We're doing what we can, that's what Formula 1 is for – exploring everything within the rules.

“We've cleared all the tests and everything, and the FIA are happy.

“So now I'm proud, I'm happy with what the team are doing – they're pushing the limits and that's what you've got to do if you want to fight at the top and fight against people who are also known for doing such things and exploring every area possible.

“Now I'm more proud of the team for pushing every single area that we can.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.