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Safety Concerns Raised Over Ferrari’s Controversial ‘Macarena’ Wings
Highlights
- FIA discussing safety of Red Bull and Ferrari revolving rear wings
- Discussions follow Max Verstappen’s crashes linked to rear wing issues
- Red Bull may revert to conventional wing if problems persist
- Ferrari’s wing rotates 225 degrees to reduce drag and rolling resistance
- FIA may impose safety changes or ban wings from 2027 onwards
- Other teams like McLaren exploring similar low-drag wing designs
The FIA opens safety talks with Red Bull and Ferrari over their revolving rear wings after Max Verstappen’s crash at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone highlighted potential reliability concerns.
Verstappen spun at Stowe late in the race. A week earlier in Austria, an airflow issue destabilised his rear wing in qualifying, triggering a high-speed moment and renewed scrutiny.
He calls the incidents “super dangerous” on team radio. Red Bull investigates the Silverstone failure. Team principal Laurent Mekies says reverting to a conventional wing before Belgium is possible.
The FIA now studies rotating wing concepts used by Red Bull and Ferrari. These devices move far beyond a standard flap. Ferrari’s version rotates about 225 degrees for straight-line mode.
Ferrari’s wing can rotate approximately 225 degrees to shed drag.
The aim is to cut drag and even generate slight lift, reducing rolling resistance on straights. Both teams gained prior FIA approval, with safety assurances before the designs raced.
Verstappen calls the failures “super dangerous” after Britain and Austria scares.
Officials focus on behaviour during mode changes between corners and straights. The switch must complete within 400 milliseconds. Any failure must default to cornering mode, and extra safeguards may follow.
A prohibition remains possible if risks persist, with a potential ban on such opening wings from 2027. That would hit other adopters, as teams like McLaren assess similar low-drag solutions.
The FIA could impose a ban on opening wings from 2027 if risks remain.
Ferrari reports no major issues since early testing and limited early-season use. The concept returned at the Miami Grand Prix and has stayed on the car since.
Any directive will shape development paths and set boundaries for innovation. For Red Bull, it would intersect with their car upgrade programme and, for Ferrari, their title rivalry ambitions.
Visual Summary
225°
Rotation
Angle
Angle
2
Crashes
in 2 weeks
in 2 weeks
400ms
To shift
modes
modes
“Super Dangerous”
– Max Verstappen
– Max Verstappen
FIA investigates radical revolving ‘Macarena’ rear wings after crashes and safety scares for Red Bull and Ferrari.
Could the next race force a ban?
Could the next race force a ban?
FIA safety discussions ongoing • Wing design may change F1 forever
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
