BMW also modify rear wing

As autosport.com exclusively revealed this morning, both BMW and McLaren have been asked to make minor changes to their cars amid the increased focus on flexi-wings in Formula One.

Both teams have had no issue with making the modifications, having been part of the group of eight teams who complained about the flexibility of the front and rear wings of the Ferrari in the letter to the race stewards at Malaysia last weekend.

A McLaren spokesman confirmed earlier today that they would be modifying their wing before the Australian Grand Prix.

"We have received no formal communication from the FIA on this matter," said the McLaren spokeswoman. "However, a minor issue with an attachment on a secondary wing came to our attention in Malaysia and this will be rectified for the Australian Grand Prix."

A spokesman for BMW-Sauber told autosport.com that there had been no official request from the FIA to make changes to their rear wing, but that a verbal request was made in Sepang.

The team duly completed this design tweak after the race, even though the legality of their F1.06 had not be called into question.

"There is no official message communicated by the FIA to our team," said the spokesman. "The Technical Delegate of the FIA verbally informed us that we were supposed to change a certain detail on the rear wing before Melbourne.

"This is not unusual and this minor change has already been performed. Jacques Villeneuve's car was checked by the FIA after the race in Malaysia and found to conform to the rules."

The confirmation of McLaren and BMW's position means that Ferrari are now alone in claiming that they have no plans to change the design of their front and rear wings.

A spokesman for the Maranello outfit told autosport.com earlier this week that reports that Ross Brawn had agreed to change the design of the wings for Melbourne were wide of the mark.

"Ross never said this, and we have no reason to do it," the spokesman said. "We simply said that we will comply with whatever the FIA requires. Whatever the FIA asks us to do, we will comply.

"If the FIA decides to change the flexibility tests, we will do what is necessary."