Verstappen shrugs off flexi-wing clampdown: “I don’t think it will hurt us”

For Singapore, the FIA have issued a technical directive to the teams that flexible wings will be closely scrutinised and potentially punished, forcing some teams to make some modifications.

This is in reference to the following rule, which states: “all aerodynamic components or bodywork influencing the car’s aerodynamic performance must be rigidly secured and immobile with respect to their frame of reference”.

At Monza, team boss Christian Horner dismissed suggestions that Red Bull would be impacted.

He said: “It’s not something that affects us. We’ve seen a few rubbery nose boxes, shall we say, so we’ll see those get addressed, I guess, in Singapore.”

Verstappen echoed his team principal, hinting that Red Bull will be as strong as usual.

“We never really had any flexible front wing or whatever. So I don’t think it will hurt us,” he explained in the FIA press conference on Thursday.

Singapore is one of the few circuits where Verstappen has yet to win in his F1 career.

During his first title-winning season, F1 didn’t race in Singapore due to the pandemic.

In 2022, Verstappen endured a difficult weekend after a rare blunder on the pit wall in qualifying, while he struggled in the race.

Assessing his chances this weekend, he expects a “very tight” battle.

“I think we are just not as competitive as other tracks. I think the street circles are tougher for our car. I still think that we can do a good job but it will be very tight.”