A rear wing controversy that had Formula One rivals up in arms at the Singapore Grand Prix was a "red herring" and good news for McLaren even if they do not use the version again, according to team boss Andrea Stella.
The championship leaders drew scrutiny after a video showed the wing flexing at speed, with talk of a "mini-DRS" drag reduction effect, during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri the previous weekend.
McLaren agreed to modify the wing, which passed tests but would not have been used in Singapore due to the characteristics of the circuit, for future races after talks with the governing FIA.
Stella said it was all something of a "red herring", or a misleading distraction.
"For us, making changes is pretty much transparent so we may as well do it," he told reporters at the Marina Bay circuit before the race.
"It won't be a big consequence from a performance point of view.
"Personally, as the principal of McLaren, I find so much attention on our rear wing is good news because it means opponents are not focusing on themselves," said the Italian.
"Formula One is such a marginal game, it's so complicated. When I see there's so much attention from other teams, it means they will be doing work, they will be doing analysis, they will be talking to the FIA.
"There's limited time and limited energy. They're using this time and energy to chase something I think is a red herring. For me as McLaren, that's good news."
McLaren's Lando Norris was dominant in Sunday's race, winning from pole position by 20.945 from Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen, whose lead is 52 points.
Piastri, who started fifth, finished third with McLaren stretching their lead in the constructors' championship to 41 points over Red Bull.
"Definitely the drivers' championship is on, the mission is on," Stella said after the race.
Stella says rear wing ‘red herring’ was good for McLaren
Image: Joe Portlock/Getty Images
A rear wing controversy that had Formula One rivals up in arms at the Singapore Grand Prix was a "red herring" and good news for McLaren even if they do not use the version again, according to team boss Andrea Stella.
The championship leaders drew scrutiny after a video showed the wing flexing at speed, with talk of a "mini-DRS" drag reduction effect, during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix won by McLaren's Oscar Piastri the previous weekend.
McLaren agreed to modify the wing, which passed tests but would not have been used in Singapore due to the characteristics of the circuit, for future races after talks with the governing FIA.
Stella said it was all something of a "red herring", or a misleading distraction.
"For us, making changes is pretty much transparent so we may as well do it," he told reporters at the Marina Bay circuit before the race.
"It won't be a big consequence from a performance point of view.
"Personally, as the principal of McLaren, I find so much attention on our rear wing is good news because it means opponents are not focusing on themselves," said the Italian.
"Formula One is such a marginal game, it's so complicated. When I see there's so much attention from other teams, it means they will be doing work, they will be doing analysis, they will be talking to the FIA.
"There's limited time and limited energy. They're using this time and energy to chase something I think is a red herring. For me as McLaren, that's good news."
McLaren's Lando Norris was dominant in Sunday's race, winning from pole position by 20.945 from Red Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen, whose lead is 52 points.
Piastri, who started fifth, finished third with McLaren stretching their lead in the constructors' championship to 41 points over Red Bull.
"Definitely the drivers' championship is on, the mission is on," Stella said after the race.
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