Scuderia Ferrari British driver Lewis Hamilton has strongly criticised the FIA’s latest regulatory update, describing the new front wing directive introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix as a complete waste of financial resources. The seven-time world champion expressed deep frustration over the changes, which he believes have had little to no impact on performance, while forcing teams to invest heavily in redesigns.
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) recently implemented a technical clampdown on flexible wings, following concerns raised by several teams last season. The sport’s governing body introduced new load-bearing tests, initially targeting rear wings at the beginning of the 2025 season, before extending the requirements to front wings at this weekend’s race in Barcelona.
The delay in front wing enforcement was intended to offer teams a more manageable transition and avoid immediate redesigns that would have added significant costs at the start of the year. However, Lewis Hamilton expressed clear discontent after testing the updated components at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, arguing the revision had yielded no tangible results.
During his post-qualifying media session, Hamilton indicated that although the overall balance of the car felt slightly different, the modification had not affected performance in any meaningful way. He claimed that the new regulations had achieved nothing, yet compelled teams to spend substantial sums to comply. In his view, the wings continued to exhibit flexing behavior despite the new constraints, rendering the exercise both ineffective and financially burdensome.
Hamilton further emphasised that it was frustrating to witness so much money spent on a technical change that, in his words, changed nothing. He suggested that the funds used to redesign the wings would have been better donated to charity. The Mercedes driver also commented that it was disappointing to see teams forced into such costly developments for no competitive benefit.
Despite the controversy, Lewis Hamilton managed a solid qualifying result, securing fifth place on the grid for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. He outqualified his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc for only the second time this season, with the last occasion occurring during the Chinese Grand Prix earlier in the year.
Reflecting on his weekend so far, Lewis Hamilton addressed comments made over team radio during Friday’s second free practice, where he described his car as “undriveable.” He clarified that the issue had stemmed from an unexpected shift in aerodynamic balance caused by a loss of downforce from the floor, despite no major setup changes being made. According to Lewis Hamilton, the team later identified the problem and managed to correct it overnight, leading to improved car behavior and a more competitive showing in qualifying.
While encouraged by the recovery, the Briton admitted that the Maranello team still lacked the raw pace of their frontrunning rivals. He concluded that although the team had made clear progress, more work would be needed to consistently challenge the likes of McLaren and Red Bull in upcoming races.
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