Lando Norris has hit back at claims that the McLaren MCL39 could be illegal due to a reported flexing rear wing.
The FIA is introducing a two-part course of action to combat flexi wings, the second part of which will be in effect from the Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull team chief Christian Horner has questioned this. He commented to the media ahead of the F1 75 launch event:
“I think it’s good that they’ve addressed it. Obviously, there’s been a change and a tidy up to the rear wing.
“The front wing gets changed at race nine. Why nine? I don’t know, but it is what it is. It’s the same for everyone.
“It just means that you’ve got a pre-race nine and a post-race nine set of issues to deal with, which inevitably will drive cost.”
However, while speaking to the media in Bahrain, Norris insisted:
“We’re all fully within the rules. We’re doing a good job. Red Bull have had plenty of time to do the same thing as us and they’re not.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
“It is more that they should do a better job rather than keep complaining about things,” added the Briton, who was runner-up to Verstappen last year.
“We respect the FIA doing what they’re doing and we’re happy that they keep trying to correct things because we don’t want anyone outside of those rules, but the last ones didn’t affect us.
“I don’t know if the new ones will or not but there are plenty of things that Red Bull do that also push the limits just as much. So we can also play that game, but… we focus on ourselves rather than complaining about others.”
Addressing the videos circulating on social media, one of which Jos Verstappen reposted, Norris claimed that they don’t prove anything. He added:
“How do they know it’s the rear wing that’s flexing?
“They don’t, it could be the whole car. So, you know, people can just come up with what they want but really they have absolutely no idea.”
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