Ferrari and Mercedes introduce solutions to enhance out-wash effect in performance-critical area. Teams are developing the front wing.

The FIA has tightened the rules on the rear wing: starting from the Australian GP, new restrictions on rear-end deflections will come into effect, while at the front, the stricter tolerances will only become active from the Spanish GP, set to take place in Barcelona on June 1.

Aware that these changes would challenge several teams in preparing new solutions, the FIA has extended the adaptation period to give teams time to comply with the new measures. Meanwhile, teams that have figured out how to push the limits of flap movements through controlled deformations will have the opportunity to further refine their concepts to maximize performance gains.

Ferrari and Mercedes have equipped their cars with colored markers, allowing the FIA to monitor the movements of individual front wing elements using ultra-high-resolution cameras.

The SF-25 features no fewer than seven yellow stickers on the side endplate (three at the front and four at the rear), while the W16 has only four.

Giorgio Piola’s images for Motorsport reveal the solutions brought to Melbourne: the Albert Park street circuit requires a medium-downforce setup.

Over the winter, teams have worked not only on flexibility but also on the front wing’s out-wash effect—meaning its ability to push airflow outward from the front wheel to create, with specifically designed vortices, a less turbulent and generally cleaner wake.

Ferrari has a long-chord main plane near the side endplate, and the final flaps do not attach directly to the endplate, instead forming a sort of curl that helps direct airflow outward through a complexly designed duct.

Mercedes has taken a different approach (copied from Red Bull in Bahrain): while not abandoning previous developments, the Brackley team has focused on creating a new horizontal flap divided into three stages with curved separation endplates. In this critical area, Mercedes engineers have used rapid prototyping materials—an indication that they are working on an intriguing concept that will almost certainly undergo further modifications for better optimization.