Red Bull Racing has been addressing reliability concerns surrounding its innovative rotating rear wing, colloquially known as the ‘Macarena wing’, during the current 2026 Formula 1 season. The team received directives to ensure the component’s safety and compliance after a series of incidents.
Both Red Bull and Ferrari introduced their interpretations of the rotating rear wing at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this season, marking a significant aerodynamic development under the new 2026 regulations.
Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Waché, clarified that the team’s design process for their ‘tipper wing’ commenced in late 2025, independently of Ferrari’s similar concept. The Milton Keynes outfit had been working on its version well before Ferrari’s public debut.
However, Red Bull encountered reliability issues with the wing later in the season. Max Verstappen experienced a high-speed qualifying crash at the Austrian Grand Prix, followed by another incident during the British Grand Prix where he spun out and missed a potential podium finish.
These failures prompted Red Bull to temporarily remove the rotating wing for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. An updated version was subsequently reintroduced one week later at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The team’s focus has been on thoroughly reviewing the wing’s closing mechanism and overall integrity to eliminate any potential risks. This internal scrutiny and necessary modifications constitute the ‘homework’ assigned to ensure the component operates safely and within technical regulations.
McLaren, another team exploring rotating rear wing concepts, also prioritised safety. They initially planned to debut their version in Austria but withdrew it before the event to conduct further development and guarantee its reliability.
