‘That doesn’t surprise me’ - Helmut Marko weighs in on Mercedes front wing

Helmut Marko has denied suggestions Red Bull approached the FIA to inspect F1 rival Mercedes’ new front wing design.

Mercedes have enjoyed an upswing in performance since introducing an upgraded front wing in Monaco, and produced their strongest weekend of the season so far at the Canadian Grand Prix last time out.

George Russell claimed both Mercedes’ first pole position and podium of the year as he finished third, one place ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton, who scored his best result of 2024 in fourth.

German outlet Auto Motor und Sport have claimed that Red Bull are growing suspicious of the front wings used by their rivals amid talk of a fresh flexi-wing saga brewing in F1.

Asked if there was any truth to claims that Red Bull went as far to ask the FIA to look at Mercedes’ new design, Marko told Austrian publication OE24: “You can’t say that.

“They have a new front wing, and on the TV pictures from Montreal you can clearly see that Russell and Hamilton’s wings are bending noticeably.

“However, the wings had the necessary strength when they were approved. That doesn’t surprise me.

“I don’t know how often we had to check our wings. There is a precisely defined procedure with weights under which a wing must not bend.

“It is a popular game of pushing everything to the limit so that it passes the technical inspection. During the race, the wing then lowers, which ensures better aerodynamics.”

Marko revealed F1 teams will be subjected to fresh FIA checks ahead of the upcoming Spanish and Austrian Grands Prix.

“It has come up again and again when the deformation was clearly visible in the television images,” the 81-year-old Austrian added.

“Everything was OK in Montreal. There is a new inspection for Barcelona and Spielberg etc., and it has to be OK again. Of course, the competition is looking at that critically, not just us.”