The Formula 1 edit

Article by Chanelle Yehia

With new regulations inevitably comes new innovations; one particularly notable invention born from the 2026 F1 regulations is the “macarena wing”. Named for its ability to completely rotate rather than just open and close, the macarena rear wing was first introduced by Ferrari during pre-season testing in Bahrain. Although it looks bizarre when the wing twirls over, it contributes far more than meets the eye.

How It Works

Crucially, the macarena wing is made possible by the FIA’s new 2026 regulations, which don’t directly designate where pivot points should be located for active (moving) elements. This is what Ferrari first took advantage of. Rather than using high-pressure hydraulic actuators that force rear wing movement (this was utilized for DRS previously), the macarena design changes the pivot point to be closer to the centre of pressure for aerodynamic forces. This allows the force of air itself to do most of the mechanical work.

The wing’s unique additional movement allows the SF-26 to significantly reduce drag on straights by creating a larger gap for air to flow through. Furthermore, since the force of air contributes to the rotation of the wing, the design can afford to use smaller actuators which helps reduce the car’s weight. Finally, when the wing is positioned vertically upright, it can act as an extra brake. This helps to avert lockups since the wing can slow the car down through air resistance rather than tire friction.

Red Bull Gives You (Macarena) Wings

Red Bull debuted their own version of the macarena wing at the 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Their flap, when turned upside-down, creates an even larger gap for air flow. It also rotates backwards, whereas Ferrari’s model turns forwards. This causes Red Bull’s wing to close against the oncoming air, creating a pocket of turbulence and destabilizing the rear of the car. Ferrari avoids this problem because their wing harnesses the wind as a method of turning the flap closed.

Unfortunately for Red Bull, their star driver Max Verstappen suffered a high-speed collision during qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix due to an actuator failure; this prevented the rear wing from closing properly, resulting in the car losing critical downforce when going through a corner. Again in qualifying at Silverstone, a similar incident with the wing occurred. These episodes prompted Red Bull’s removal of the wing for the Belgian Grand Prix. Moreover, the FIA has launched an investigation into the safety of the macarena wing design. A possible ban was considered, however, no decisions have been finalized.

Further Grid Adoption

More recently, McLaren revealed their take on the macarena wing during some free practice sessions at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In the range of designs, McLaren’s iteration seems to be more similar to the Red Bull macarena wing. This has raised some safety concerns, seeing as the papaya’s wing also closes against the force of oncoming air. 

In the end, this new innovation has introduced new highs and lows in Formula 1, from improving aerodynamics and braking to causing rear end instability and even high-speed incidents. As engineers from various teams continue to modify their designs, we should expect to see further advancements in the races to come. Finally, shout out to Lewis Hamilton, who rejected the name “macarena wing” in favour of a simpler, and perhaps slightly sillier alternative: the “flip-flop” wing.