{"id":790709,"date":"2026-07-10T05:16:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T05:16:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/790709\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T05:16:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T05:16:11","slug":"inquiry-for-super-dangerous-verstappen-crashes-mclaren-driver-politely-asked-to-be-fired-pit-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/790709\/","title":{"rendered":"Inquiry for \u2018super dangerous\u2019 Verstappen crashes; McLaren driver \u2018politely asked to be fired\u2019: Pit Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"

The FIA has opened an inquiry into Red Bull Racing\u2019s rotating rear wing after problems with the trick device caused two high-speed crashes for Max Verstappen across the Austrian and British grands prix weekends.<\/p>\n

Verstappen crashed out of qualifying in Austria at turn 9 and out of the race in Silverstone at Stowe \u2014 both 230-kilometre-per-hour right-handers \u2014 after what he described as \u201cdifferent fault[s] but the same outcome\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ferrari, which also operates a similar rollover rear wing, will also be part of the investigation despite not suffering similar problems.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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The FIA investigates all major crashes as a matter of course, but the nature of Verstappen\u2019s two incidents has triggered a specific inquiry into the way the rear wings work.<\/p>\n

Whereas the previous drag reduction system (DRS) was more tightly controlled in the way it worked, with all teams operating with fundamentally the same mechanics, there is more design freedom with the wing this year, which forms part of the active aerodynamics package designed to reduce drag to put less strain on the battery.<\/p>\n

Ferrari was the first to unveil a rear wing flat that opened backwards, creating a larger opening that reduced drag by a more significant amount. <\/p>\n

Red Bull Racing followed with its own interpretation, though the team stressed that it had been working on the concept since late last year. Unlike the Ferrari wing, whose flap opens forwards and rotates around 180 degrees, the Red Bull Racing version flips backwards and travels less distance.<\/p>\n

In theory that allows both teams to run with more downforce for the corners knowing the drag punishment will be more significantly reduced down the straights. Both teams raced with their rotating wings for the first time at the Miami Grand Prix in May.<\/p>\n

The use of active aerodynamics is controlled in a similar way to DRS, with the FIA stipulating straight-line sections on which it can be run. There had been calls to allow free usage, but these were rebuffed in part on safety grounds, with Jack Doohan\u2019s monster 331-kilometre-per-hour crash in Japan last year an obvious example of the risks that come with pushing the boundaries.<\/p>\n

MORE FORMULA 1<\/p>\n

VERSTAPPEN RUMOURS: Inside messy loyalty storm that plunged Piastri into middle of F1\u2019s hottest contract rumour<\/a><\/p>\n

PIT TALK: FIA boss hints at Horner return; Russell torched over grandstand call<\/a><\/p>\n

ENGINE DEBATE: Inside back-to-future move with dark past that could shake-up F1<\/a><\/p>\n

Verstappen\u2019s rear wing was closed at the time he lost control of his car in both Austria and Great Britain, but the FIA will investigate whether the Red Bull Racing and Ferrari wings are both closing within the stipulated maximum 0.4 seconds.<\/p>\n

Autosport has reported that, if both wings are found to comply, the governing body will consider whether additional regulation is required to stop repeats, particularly with other teams likely to follow with their own takes on the concept.<\/p>\n

McLaren, for example, was set to trial its own version in Austria but decided it needed more development time.<\/p>\n

Verstappen said he was fortunate not to be injured in one of his two high-speed crashes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s super-dangerous because you can really hurt yourself two times,\u201d he said, clearly frustrated.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was lucky in Austria. I was lucky here. That\u2019s why you get really fed up with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Bull Racing boss Laurent Mekies said his team would ensure the problem doesn\u2019t recur, including removing the wing altogether.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are going to review the full area to make sure we leave zero chance for that to happen again,\u201d he said, per Autosport.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will do whatever is necessary to be on the safe side. We have raced quite a few races with that concept now. We have raced since Miami, I think, so it\u2019s been a number of races.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too early in the analysis to establish whether it\u2019s an issue with the concept or something else, but we are for sure going to leave no stone unturned when it comes to it, and we have all the options open.\u201d<\/p>\n

‘F*** THIS’ Verstappen rages after crash | 01:09<\/p>\n

McLAREN RESERVE ASKS TO BE FIRED<\/p>\n

McLaren reserve driver and IndyCar star Pato O\u2019Ward has asked CEO Zak Brown to fire him as he seeks a better work-life balance.<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old Mexican had previously been on a Formula 1 trajectory, having competed in European single-seaters as a junior and become a Red Bull-backed driver, before moving to the United States to pursue his IndyCar career.<\/p>\n

His tie-up with McLaren in the American series offered him a clear connection back into the Formula 1 world, and he\u2019s made five practice appearances along and been involved in multiple private tests with F1 machinery.<\/p>\n

But the 10-time IndyCar winner and 2025 championship runner-up has told the Speed Street podcast<\/a> his Formula 1 duties are beginning to weigh him down as he attempts to find another level in the US racing series.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecently, actually, I went to Zak [Brown], because he\u2019s the guy that calls the shots,\u201d he said. \u201c[And] I\u2019ve politely asked to be fired from all my services in Formula 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really think I\u2019m just in a different point of my life now, and I really don\u2019t care [about chasing F1] anymore.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s really nothing in me that is aching to keep on as a reserve in Formula 1, because I\u2019m in a great place in IndyCar. I love the series. That\u2019s where I want to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m grateful for the experiences and all the things that I\u2019ve been able to learn in the world of Formula 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cDriving those race cars, especially the last few years, has been just an amazing experience just to feel what they\u2019re capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though he added: \u201cLooking at what the [F1] race cars are currently, I\u2019m not really excited to drive one.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Ward\u2019s Formula 1 duties would typically ramp up immediately after the IndyCar season finale, usually in September. He has appeared in three of the last four Abu Dhabi grands prix as a practice-only driver in December.<\/p>\n

With IndyCar pre-season getting underway in early February, it left him with little downtime to reset between seasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t had an off-season in the last five years,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to enjoy my life outside of racing because it does consume me and it has consumed me the last five years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to focus on my priorities in enjoying my life, because I feel like a lot of the time I don\u2019t really get to dictate my schedule at all, and [the end of the IndyCar season] is the only time where I can.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last four or five years I haven\u2019t been able to do really any of that. I want to be able to train more. I want to be able to eat better and just prepare for 2027, which is going to come fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leclerc wins amidst safety car confusion | 03:32<\/p>\n

NEWEY BACK WITH RED BULL\u2026 FOR A DAY<\/p>\n

Aston Martin team principal and technical chief Adrian Newey will get behind the wheel of a Red Bull car this weekend when he completes a demonstration run in the RB17 hypercar he designed.<\/p>\n

Newey, along with Red Bull Racing star Isack Hadjar and reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will take turns in the cockpit at the renowned Goodwood Festival of Speed.<\/p>\n

The RB17 was a concept car penned by Newey during his time as Red Bull Racing chief technical officer. Launched in June 2022, just 50 examples of the hybrid twin-turbo V8 were made, with each fetching around \u00a35 million ($9.7 million).<\/p>\n

The 820-kilowatt, 900-kilogram car is heavily influenced by Formula 1 design concepts and is not road legal.<\/p>\n

The RB17 had been the name reserved for the team\u2019s 2021 Formula 1 chassis, but regulations required 2020 cars to be carried into 2021 as a cost-saving measure during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

The team chose to name its 2022 chassis the RB18, freeing the RB17 moniker to be used by the hypercar project.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodwood is the perfect place to celebrate what Red Bull engineering is all about,\u201d Red Bull Racing principal Laurent Mekies said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing RB17 come to life and run in front of the fans is a very special moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt represents years of dedication, creativity and engineering excellence from an extraordinary team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly proud of what they have achieved and look forward to sharing that experience with everyone at Goodwood.\u201c<\/p>\n

Newey quit Red Bull Racing in May 2024 as part of the ongoing exodus of staff from the title-winning team.<\/p>\n

He joined Aston Martin as managing technical partner, taking a minor stake in the team, last season, and he became team principal this year.<\/p>\n

Aston Martin is 10th in the championship with one point this season after a torrid start to the first year of new regulations and a difficult opening chapter for its works relationship with Honda.<\/p>\n

The team is pinning its hopes on a major upgrade for the Hungarian Grand Prix later this month, while Honda is due to bring its sole power unit upgrade to the Dutch Grand Prix in late August.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The FIA has opened an inquiry into Red Bull Racing\u2019s rotating rear wing after problems with the trick…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":790710,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[573],"tags":[64,63,817,813,816,85],"class_list":["post-790709","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-formula-1","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-f1","tag-formula-1","tag-formula1","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/790709","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=790709"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/790709\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/790710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=790709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=790709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=790709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}