Lando Norris aims ‘too good’ vow at rivals after FIA rule change

The Australian Grand Prix winner says McLaren’s car conforms with incoming regulations changes

Lando Norris does not think new regulations will affect McLaren (Getty Images)

Lando Norris says the imminent clampdown on flexi rear wings will not hinder McLaren and claims the component on their car is already ‘too good’ and that they can push closer to the limits.

The FIA issued a technical directive to prevent teams from running flexible wings at both the front and rear of their cars last season and just before the Australian Grand Prix updated the rules.

The teams were told that the permitted levels of flexibility had been changed with immediate effect. The compliance checks pertain to Article 3.15.17 of the technical regulations that means the area of rear wing mainplane tip flexibility has been reduced from the previous 2mm allowance to just 0.75mm for the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend.

“We don’t change anything, ours is fine,” said Norris who is looking for back-to-back victories after winning in Melbourne.

He added: “In fact, ours is probably too good, and we are probably not pushing the limits enough, honestly.

“So no, already if this technical directive was applied for last weekend, we’d also be fine so it’s not directed at us. It seems it’s directed at other teams which probably means we need to push it a little bit more.”

The FIA confirmed that all the teams passed the mandatory flexi tests in Australia and a spokesperson told PlanetF1.com: “As has been previously communicated, between the end of the 2024 season and the start of the 2025 season, the FIA exercised the authority it is granted under Article 3.15.1 of the Technical Regulations to introduce either new or more challenging load-deflection tests for the front wing (from Race 9, Spanish Grand Prix), the upper rear wing, and the beam rear wing.

“In addition, the FIA requested the teams to use cameras in Free Practice Sessions to monitor the on-track deformations exhibited by the cars during the Australian Grand Prix.

Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in the Australian Grand Prix (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

“Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.

“More specifically, Article 3.15.17, introduced in 2025, states that if 75Kg of vertical load is applied on either extremity of the rear wing mainplane, the distance between the mainplane and the flap (also known as “slot gap”) must not vary by more than 2mm.

“From the forthcoming Grand Prix in Shanghai, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm. Due to the short notice for Shanghai only a tolerance of 0.25mm will be added to this new limit.”