Martin Brundle’s intriguing McLaren ‘cheaty’ wing theory in ‘juicy upgrades’ tease

Martin Brundle said McLaren’s rear wing was “genius” if a little “cheaty” after they agreed to not use it again and avoid the risk of the FIA stepping in.

McLaren’s rivals were up in arms after video emerged of Oscar Piastri’s rear wing opening despite not using DRS and after more complaints of it being illegal, McLaren opted to inform the FIA they would not be using it again.

Martin Brundle provides thoughts on McLaren’s ‘cheaty’ rear wing

McLaren’s rivals will say that the damage is already down with the Woking team not needing a wing like that again until Las Vegas but Brundle has praised the minds behind it for finding the perfect grey area.

“I think they know that if they bring it again, they might be in trouble,” Brundle said on Sky Sports. “I thought it was genius to be honest, bit cheaty as well.

“But a cornerstone, a foundation, of Formula 1 is the teams must fundamentally make their own car and they all set about finding ways to bend the regulations and get away with it, if you like.

“Some of the other teams and drivers complaining is pot, kettle and black that springs to mind and also, I think McLaren have some pretty juicy upgrades coming as well.

“And I’m sure they’re thinking ‘we don’t need to take any risk with that [the rear wing]. We’ve had the benefit of that. We’ll move on to something else now.”

As Brundle suggested, McLaren are not the first team in F1 history to come as close as possible to the line without breaking the rules and the former Tyrell driver said F1 is about innovation.

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“It’s Formula 1 at its best,” he said. “It’s just driving innovation, trying to maximise the absolute most of the regulations, sometimes dipping into those grey areas.

“I think maybe they felt like they were flying a bit close to the wind and that’s why they’re taking it off but I think it’s pretty cool.”

Nico Rosberg, who was alongside Brundle on the broadcast, said that regulating aspects like this is an impossible task for the FIA.

“It’s very hard to regulate because wings will always be moving and just how much is okay,” the 2016 World Champion said. “And that’s why, certainly, the teams are flat out in trying to maximise that as much as possible and McLaren just went a step too far.

“And now we’ll see on the front wings what’s going to be happening there, if the FIA is going to crack down there with someone in the pit lane.”

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