Red Bull's rear wing under scrutiny
Red Bull Racing are the latest team to get embroiled in ongoing suspicions about flexi-wings in Formula One, with their rear wing coming under close scrutiny from rival teams after the Spanish Grand Prix
David Coulthard took Red Bull's first points of the year in Barcelona, despite suffering from a gearbox problem that meant he had to finish the race without third gear.
The growing competitiveness of the team meant the outfit gained more television exposure that normal in Spain, and some of the subsequent on-board footage of Coulthard's car has caused some concern among rivals teams about the behaviour of the rear wing.
The footage is from the rear facing camera that followed Coulthard lapping the circuit with 38 laps to go, and then later with two laps to go while he was suffering with the gearbox issues.
The images appear to show the rear wing pivoting back around the front support strut as the car gains speed on the main straight, before dramatically popping back up into its vertical position under braking for Turn One.
Autosport.com understands that several rival teams are unhappy about what they believe is flexing of the rear wing, although there are no suggestions yet that they will go so far as lodging a protest against Red Bull.
One insider from a leading team said: "There has been a lot of talk about flexi-wings in Formula One, but this it the most blatant example I have ever seen."
The FIA has tried to clampdown hard on flexi wings in the sport, and last season introduced mandatory slot-gap separators from the Canadian Grand Prix to try and bring an end to the matter.
It is not clear whether the FIA has been asked to investigate the Red Bull wing yet, but it is understood that questions will likely be asked about the matter at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Moveable aerodynamic devices are not allowed in F1, but if a car passes the static load tests in the pits then it complies with the regulations - no matter what happens at high speed.
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has insisted, however, that his team are doing nothing wrong.
"I haven't seen the footage, but as far as we are concerned, the car fully complies with the regulations," he told autosport.com.
"No other team or the FIA have mentioned this matter to us, and if the FIA felt there was an issue then I am sure it would have been raised with us. Our car passed post-scrutineering in Spain without a problem."
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