X-Wings in Formula 1
Sure, we know this might sound strange today, but the first time we saw X-Wings on an F1 car, they stuck in our heads and never really left.
If you needed proof that F1 engineers live on the bleeding edge of the rulebook, look no further than the late 1990s and the rise of the bizarre ‘X-Wings’.
The rulebook changed, reducing overall downforce for 1998.
This change forced designers to search for grip in places the rulebook had not clearly locked down.
And out of that gray area came one of the most unusual sights ever on a Grand Prix car, the so-called X-Wings.
X-Wings in Formula 1
Visually, they looked strange and almost improvised, two tall winglets perched high above the sidepods, sometimes crossed and sometimes parallel.
They did not last long; however, for a brief moment in 1998, X-wings reshaped how engineers thought about airflow, legality and how far innovation could be pushed before safety intervened.
How X-Wings Actually Worked
Back then, watching these tiny wings perched high above the cars made us wonder if anyone would take them seriously.
Yet somehow, they worked. Even though they looked strange, engineers had clearly found something clever.
At their core, X-wings were about exploiting cleaner air, while front and rear wings operated in turbulent zones.
These high-mounted elements sat above much of the car’s wake, where airflow was smoother and more consistent.
That made them surprisingly effective, by placing small wings high up on the car, teams could generate additional downforce without increasing drag dramatically.
However, the result was improved grip through medium and high-speed corners, better balance and more predictable handling, especially on circuits where aerodynamic load mattered more than outright power.
According to reports, some estimates suggested that X-wings could contribute around five percent of a car’s total downforce, a huge gain for that era.
Who Invented the X-Wings and Who Benefited Most
We remember the buzz when the first X-wings appeared on track, so unusual, that everyone’s eyes were drawn to them.
Watching Tyrrell experiment with these little towers in 1997 made it clear that someone had a clever idea up their sleeve.
The first concept of X-wing appeared through Harvey Postlethwaite at Tyrrell in 1997.
Working within tight constraints, he identified a loophole and mounted small winglets high above the sidepods to exploit cleaner airflow.
However, on the Tyrrell, the idea was well integrated rather than rushed, and it delivered immediate results, most notably at Monaco Grand Prix where the team scored its only points of the season.
By 1998, the concept had spread rapidly with Sauber, Jordan, Prost and Ferrari all producing their own versions.
So who benefited most? It was Tyrrell, they gained the most proportionally, using the X-wings to turn a midfield car into a genuine points contender on high-downforce circuits.
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X-Wings in F1: Safety Issues
Watching these X-wings in action, we couldn’t help but feel impressed but also a little nervous.
They looked clever, but you just knew that having wings sticking up like that could cause trouble if anything went wrong.
Despite their effectiveness, the problems were obvious as soon as the cars entered real racing conditions.
The wings were tall, exposed, and mounted in an area that was not designed to absorb contact or damage.
The breaking point came during a pit stop involving a Sauber, driven by Jean Alesi, when an X-wing was accidentally torn off by pit lane in Buenos Aires – Argentine GP.
The incident did not cause injury, but it highlighted a serious risk.
PIt lanes were already crowded with mechanics, fuel rigs and hoses, adding fragile aero parts at head height was asking for trouble.
Beyond the pit stops, the FIA also worried about what could happen in a crash, if an X-wing detached at speed and it could a dangerous projectile, posing a threat to drivers, marshals or spectators.
There were also concerns that the structures could interfere with driver visibility or obstruct access to refuelling points, potentially slowing pit stops or creating further hazards.
An Immediate Ban by the FIA
We remember when the news came through; it felt sudden but inevitable. After seeing the risks firsthand, it was hard to argue that X-wings could stay on the cars for much longer!
Rather than rewriting technical regulations mid-season, the FIA chose a faster route, using a broad safety clause in the International Sporting Code, the governing body banned X-wings outright after the 1998 San Marino GP.
According to reports, the decision was immediate and non-negotiable, all teams were ordered to remove the devices and the short-lived era of X-wings was over almost as quickly as it had begun.
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1998 Season: The unstoppable McLaren
However, McLaren was simply unstoppable in 1998, and it was not down to one single trick.
Adrian Newey designed the MP4/13 perfectly; tuned to the new regulations, combining a compact, aerodynamically efficient design with a light and powerful Mercedes V10 engine.
And the-infamous brake steer system that sharpened in corners, before it was banned.
End of an era – X-Wings
Within just a few weeks, they were gone, but left a lasting mark on F1 thinking, they exposed how sensitive modern cars were to airflow quality and how valuable clean air could be when harnessed correctly.
X-wings were not reckless experiments, they were logical, calculated solutions created by engineers working within the rules as written and not as intended.
For fans, X-wings remain a symbol of an era when F1 briefly looked like it had sprouted a second set of wings.
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