McLaren Caught in Tech Drama as Red Bull Questions Their Rear Wing

Formula 1 is heating up with a fresh controversy after the Japanese Grand Prix, where videos popped up online showing McLaren’s rear wing bending under pressure. The clips have sparked a feud with Red Bull, their main rival, who think McLaren might be bending the rules to gain an edge. This drama is stealing the spotlight from McLaren’s awesome start to the 2025 season, where they’re leading both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

The videos, shared like wildfire on social media, seem to show McLaren’s rear wing flexing more than Red Bull’s at high speeds. Some say this could cut drag and make the car faster on straights. Red Bull, who are behind McLaren in the team standings, aren’t new to this fight, they called out McLaren last year over a similar “mini-DRS” trick. Max Verstappen, careful after getting in trouble with the FIA before, kept it cool. “I saw the video, but I’m leaving it to the officials,” he said.

McLaren’s boss, Andrea Stella, isn’t sweating it. He says their car passes all the FIA’s tests with flying colors. “Our wing’s legit,” Stella told reporters. “We’re just focused on racing fair and square.” The FIA, which cracked down on flexi-wings for 2025 by setting super strict limits, hasn’t said they’re investigating yet, but word is they’re keeping an eye on things.

Red Bull’s Christian Horner gave McLaren props for their speed but couldn’t resist a jab. “In a close championship, every little thing counts,” he said. Some folks in the paddock think Red Bull’s stirring the pot to distract from their own struggles, their RB21 car’s about two-tenths slower than McLaren’s.