Verstappen unfazed by FIA flexi-wing rule: ‘No impact for us’

As the FIA introduces a new clampdown on front wing flexing at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Max Verstappen has confidently dismissed any concerns that the changes will hinder Red Bull – or even significantly affect the rest of the field.

Despite murmurs in the paddock that McLaren, Red Bull’s current title rival, has been among the most adept at exploiting front wing aero-elasticity for performance gains, Verstappen isn’t buying the hype.

The four-time world champion insists Red Bull’s performance will hold steady, with his focus first and foremost on exploiting the RB21’s strengths around the Circuit de Catalunya, where he’s ready to pounce.

Dismissing the Flexi-Wing Fuss

The fresh technical directive, which tightens tests around how much front wings can flex under aerodynamic load, follows similar crackdowns earlier this season on rear wing flexibility in China and Japan.

While teams and fans alike are eagerly watching to see whether this reshuffles the pecking order, Verstappen remains unconvinced of the regulation change’s impact.

“Not for us. I can say that with quite a lot of confidence,” Verstappen told the media in Barcelona paddock on Thursday.

“I think those wings never really gave us a massive performance gain, I don't know if we got it wrong or didn't extract the most out of it.

“But even for the other teams, I'm sure it's all manageable. If you have a good car, you have a good car. The front wing bends a bit less.”

Verstappen’s comments come at a time when Red Bull appears to have turned a corner in its development struggles.

After being beaten by McLaren in several key rounds, Verstappen managed to take a clean win in Imola, putting the RB21 back on top in what many considered the first head-to-head race victory of 2025 for the defending champion team.

“We’re Strong Where It’s High-Speed”

Looking ahead to this weekend’s round of racing, Verstappen is measured but optimistic. The Red Bull driver suggests Imola may have flattered the team slightly, depending on how well – or poorly –McLaren performed that weekend.

“Imola was, of course, at the end very positive. But to try and replicate something like that... I don't know. We'll try to do our best,” he admitted.

“But I also don't know if Imola was just a very strong showing from us or maybe a weaker showing from McLaren. It's very hard to tell.”

• Read also: FIA explains timing on flexi-wing clampdown starting in Spain

As for the kinds of circuits that still challenge Red Bull – and Verstappen’s personal preferences – he made no secret of where the team performs best.

“All the street circuits [will be difficult] car-wise,” he contended. “And I hate street circuits. I think the more high-speed corners, that will be more competitive for us, actually because I think that's where you don't really need to hit any kerbs.

“Our car is quite good in the high-speed. We just need to try and bring that a bit more down to the medium-speed and especially the low-speed.

“We've won two races that have been at quite high-speed tracks, so I think it shows that that's where we are strong.

“All the other tracks where we've been lacking a bit, it's all been a little bit more low to medium-speed.”

As the flexi-wing scrutiny intensifies and F1's development war ramps up heading into the heart of the season, Verstappen is clearly ready to let his performance do the talking – wings bending or not.

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