Andreas Stella expresses frustration over inaction regarding Alpine’s unstable rear wing

McLaren lodges protest against Alpine's unsteady rear wing as race direction opts not to interfere.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella (Image credit: motorsport.com)

In the closing stages of the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, a camera caught Esteban Ocon’s unstable rear wing. Lando Norris, behind the Alpine, raised safety concerns over the oscillating rear wing. The stewards, however, decided to overlook this safety hazard. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was not overly content with this verdict.

Andreas Stella told the media that Norris expressed his dissatisfaction on multiple occasions. He also mentioned the unsettling experience of following a rear wing that could pose a potential risk of collision. The McLaren boss brought attention to instances where Alpine’s rear wing exhibited dramatic movement that was out of the ordinary. He also highlighted the curiosity among the team regarding the FIA’s viewpoint on the safety implications of this situation.

“I think this is a debate that deserves more time and I’m sure it will be raised again at the next Sports Advisory Committee because Lando said a couple of times that it’s not nice…We have already seen Alpine’s rear wing wobble at times; Lando reported this because it looked like something was broken; the wing can’t wobble like that outside of its normal behavior. It is normal for us to ask ourselves what the FIA thinks of this situation regarding safety,” Stella said after the race.

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Otmar Szafnauer is adamant that Esteban Ocon’s rear wing did not pose a safety risk

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer (Image credit: motorsport.com)

The FIA’s current policy is that teams are responsible for deciding whether it is safe to continue when such issues as loose bodywork arise. In this case, Alpine did not view Esteban Ocon’s rear wing as a safety threat. As a result, Ocon continued his race and finished the Canadian Grand Prix in P8.

Despite a radio message from Lando Norris regarding Ocon’s loose wing, the FIA did possess enough evidence to wave a black and orange flag. Otmar Szafnauer later mentioned to motorsport.com that they had a conversation with race control regarding Ocon’s loose rear wing.

Lando Luuuuunges past his team mate ?#CanadianGP #F1 @McLarenF1 pic.twitter.com/2OsTLObjaR
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 19, 2023

According to Szafnauer, the matter was discussed internally, and the team also received feedback from the FIA, indicating that their rear wing appeared to be moving. He also mentioned that after examining and discussing the situation, they expressed confidence that it would be fine with a few laps remaining.

“We talked about it, and the FIA came to us as well and said it looks like your rear wing’s moving, and we looked at it and talked about it. We were confident that with a couple of laps left that it was going to be fine,” Szafnauer said.