Car
McLaren’s Canadian Grand Prix update offers first hints at flexi-wing rule impact
by Rosario Giuliana
6min read
The 2025 Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix marked a turning point in the 2025 F1 season, at least for McLaren.
Car
What are flexi-wings and why have they made headlines in 2025?
A surprising result that raises several technical questions about what may be happening beneath the skin of the orange car.
Lando Norris crashed out of the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix - making contact with team-mate Oscar Piastri - but McLaren was all but out of the podium hunt even before that
In Canada, however, on a track where efficiency and traction matter far more than pure downforce, McLaren’s drop in competitiveness was clear.
This naturally raises the question: Has McLaren lost the competitive edge it gained, at least in part, from aggressive use of flexible components? It’s too early to draw definitive conclusions, but two consecutive races without the brilliance shown early in the season are cause for reflection.
McLaren’s unusual Canadian Grand Prix update
The Canadian weekend saw the introduction of several new elements on the MCL39, though many of them were not retained for the key sessions. It’s an unusual pattern for a team that had previously demonstrated consistency and clarity in its development path.
New front wing
McLaren introduced an updated front wing with modifications at the junction between the flaps and the endplate.
A notable move, especially given that the new directive calls for increased rigidity in precisely these areas. The wing was classified as a test component and wasn’t used in qualifying or the race.
This marks the second time this season that a significant update was brought to the track only for comparative testing - the previous case being the diffuser introduced (and later shelved) in Saudi Arabia.
This could suggest that the team is actively exploring new solutions but hasn’t yet found a clear direction.
McLaren tested a new front wing in Montreal featuring subtle changes to the curved sections next to the endplate
Revised front suspension
Another change concerned the front suspension geometry. In addition to an aerodynamic revision of the wishbone covers, the new layout was only run by Lando Norris, while Oscar Piastri retained the previous specification.
This divergence between the two cars may indicate an internal evaluation phase or difficulty in adapting the complete package across both chassis.
Lando Norris (right) ran new front suspension geometry in Canada
New rear wing
McLaren also debuted a medium-low downforce rear wing, featuring a “V-shaped” main plane paired with a single-element beam wing. The configuration was clearly aimed at maximising speed along the long straights of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve.
However, the combination of unconfirmed updates, partial implementations, and an aggressive aerodynamic setup didn’t pay off in Canada. The MCL39 looked less composed than the dominant package we saw earlier in the season.
Loss of downforce - or aerodynamic efficiency - seems to have played a central role in McLaren’s struggles in Montreal.
McLaren’s rear wing specifications in Montreal. It tested two shapes across both of its cars
The team ran a lower-downforce configuration than usual, as it had in Spain, suggesting a need to claw back straight-line speed. Could this be due to a stiffer front wing - no longer flexing as before - no longer providing those few extra kilometres per hour on the straights?
The next few grands prix - starting with Austria and Great Britain - will reveal whether this was just a blip, or the beginning of a more complex adaptation phase for the Woking team.
