Ferrari will introduce its innovative rotating rear wing during the first practice session at the 2026 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. The device, tested earlier in Bahrain pre-season, flips completely upside down to reduce drag on straights. Lewis Hamilton praised the team's efforts in accelerating its development for the weekend.
Ferrari has confirmed plans to run its radical rotating rear wing, nicknamed the 'Macarena' or 'flip-flop' wing, in FP1 at the Shanghai International Circuit. The component, which features an upper flap that rotates 180 degrees to create a larger gap for airflow and minimize drag, first appeared during Day 2 of pre-season testing in Bahrain. This marks its debut in a race weekend, following the season-opening Australian Grand Prix where Mercedes secured a 1-2 finish with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in third and Lewis Hamilton in fourth.
Hamilton, speaking ahead of the event, expressed appreciation for the team's rapid development work. "I'm so grateful to the team because it was actually supposed to be later down the line, and they worked really hard to develop it and get it brought here," he said. "It's great to see that the team are fighting, the team are pushing and chasing and really working overtime back at the factory to be able to bring upgrades, because that's the name of the game."
The new active aerodynamics rules for 2026 offer more flexibility than the previous DRS system, allowing teams to optimize downforce in corners and reduce drag on straights. Ferrari aims to evaluate two wing angles for maximum benefit during the single practice session before Sprint Qualifying. Hamilton noted uncertainty about immediate advantages, adding, "We did a full day or so on the wing... But we got all the running needed for it."
The Shanghai circuit's distinct layout from Albert Park provides Ferrari an opportunity to close the gap to Mercedes, which Hamilton attributes partly to superior battery power management under the updated regulations emphasizing electrical energy. He highlighted the development challenge, citing an eight-tenth qualifying deficit and four-to-five-tenth race gap in Australia, and expressed optimism about Ferrari's upgrades over coming races.
