McLaren: Rivals using ‘psychological warfare’ in rear wing dispute

The recent controversy surrounding McLaren’s flexi wing on its MCL38 contender has died down, but team boss Andrea Stella remains clearly unhappy with several of his team’s rivals whom he has accused of resorting to “psychological warfare” to try and destabilize the Woking-based outfit.

McLaren’s rear wing came under scrutiny after Oscar Piastri’s victory in Baku, after video footage on social media showed the rear wing’s upper flap flexing under load, likening the element to a ‘mini-DRS’, but without any activation by the driver.

With the phenomenon possibly improving illicitly the car’s straightline speed, the FIA and McLaren reached an agreement by which the team offered to modify its aero element to alleviate any doubts regarding the component’s rigidity.

As a result, changes were introduced to the rear wing ahead of the Singapore and United States Grands Prix. However, McLaren maintained that their car complied with all regulations.

“Our wings were compliant with the technical regulations and passed all the flexibility checks in force, at the same time we had conversations with the international federation receiving all the necessary reassurances,” Stella told Motorsport.com.

"Obviously, we read a lot of comments in the media, opinions that came mainly from our opponents, not necessarily from journalists, and certain articles seemed to be a vehicle to spread the voice of some of our opponents on the track."

• Read also: McLaren not the only team to tweak rear wing for flexing concerns

When asked if this created frustration within the team, Stella did not hold back.

"There was,” he admitted. "Seeing articles that appeared as a tool used by teams that wanted to put McLaren in a bad light through the media.

“The technical aspects are addressed with the federation, they are addressed with the regulations, they are addressed with the checks, but trying to put a team in a bad light puts us in a scenario where there is nothing concrete.”

For Stella, these media moves represented a calculated effort by rivals to undermine McLaren’s momentum.

"It is an attempt at psychological warfare aimed at weakening the opponent, but on our part, the facts were very clear,” he explained.

"In the end, this story has strengthened us even more as a team, because when the opponents start to get so distracted thinking about our technical solutions I can say that they are giving us good news, it means that they are losing their compass a little.”

Stella’s comments come during a season in which McLaren has risen to challenge the dominance of teams like Red Bull, with the Woking-based outfit currently leading the constructors’ standings.

The rear wing controversy isn’t the only technical debate making headlines, with recent scrutiny also falling on Red Bull for an adjustable front bib mechanism.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown was vocal in demanding further investigation, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner dismissed the uproar as mere distraction tactics.

The accusations of psychological warfare point to the intense rivalries at play in the 2024 F1 season. With McLaren’s resurgence making them a formidable competitor, the battle on the track is seemingly being mirrored by a battle of words and media narratives off the track.

For Stella, this newfound attention from rivals is not only a sign of McLaren’s growing threat but also a clear indication that their competitors are starting to feel the pressure.

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