McLaren now expected to follow Red Bull and copy Ferrari’s ‘Macarena’ rear wing design

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Red Bull were recently seen testing their interpretation of Ferrari’s ‘Macarena’ rear wing design, and now, McLaren are set to follow suit.

Ferrari turned heads in the paddock during pre-season testing as they were seen using a radical rear wing design on Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26. The flap is seen flipping upside down while in straight-line mode, rotating at around 200 degrees.

Dubbed the ‘Macarena’ wing by experts, Ferrari are yet to use it during a Grand Prix, having only tested it privately. It was used in FP1 in China, but was later shelved for the rest of the weekend and again in Japan.

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Ferrari realised the ‘Macarena’ wing impacted rear stability, something Hamilton struggled with in 2025. Subsequently, the team have taken the design back to the factory for re-development, hoping to use it at some point in the season.

With it said to reduce drag and increase top speed down the straights, it is not surprising to see teams begin to work on their own Macarena-style wings. Red Bull are the latest to come up with the design, and McLaren are set to be next.

McLaren expected to introduce their own ‘Macarena’ rear wing after Red Bull’s private tests

Red Bull tested a ‘Macarena’ rear wing concept during a filming day at Silverstone. They are hoping to find improvements for the RB22, having scored 16 points in the opening three race weekends.

Unlike Ferrari’s design, Red Bull have opted for a more ‘conservative’ approach. They have modified the ‘attachment points between the flap and endplates through the addition of straight extensions relative to the flap’s pivot’, as per a report from RacingNews365.

This allows for a reverse rotation of the wing, but as extreme as the 200 degrees that Ferrari have achieved. Instead, Red Bull’s design ‘delivers approximately 110-120 degrees of unidirectional movement’ as the team focus on ‘reduced mechanical complexity’ and faster development.

Following Red Bull’s test, it is likelt that many other teams will start developing their own ‘Macarena’ designs. According to the report, McLaren are expected to introduce their interpretation ‘in future developments’.

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Have Ferrari solved their problems with the ‘Macarena’ rear wing?

Ferrari have hoped to introduce their radical design for a race, but have yet to do so after encountering some issues.

Recently, Ferrari tested a legality issue at Monza to ensure that the rear wing complies with the regulations. It is not certain whether the team will use the ‘Macarena’ wing in Miami, but it is expected to hugely benefit them in Canada.

Ferrari have ‘significantly’ revised the endplates on the design to better integrate the actuator. They hope that it will improve the way airflow is managed.