McLaren is exploring the development of its own rotating ‘Macarena’ rear wing after Ferrari and Red Bull demonstrated the benefits of the innovative design at the Miami Grand Prix, team CEO Zak Brown has confirmed.
Ferrari first tested the highly unconventional rear wing during pre-season testing in February, briefly running the design that rotates to deploy active aerodynamics rather than using a traditional DRS-style flap. After limited appearances in practice sessions, Ferrari committed to the concept for a full race weekend in Miami.
Red Bull joined the trend at the same event, debuting its own version of the rotating rear wing as part of a major upgrade package for the RB22. The timing proved significant — Max Verstappen qualified on the front row after a challenging start to the season, suggesting the upgrade delivered tangible performance gains.
Brown Confirms McLaren Interest in Rotating Wing Concept
Asked whether McLaren has studied the rotating rear wings now in use at Ferrari and Red Bull, Brown said: “We have. As you can imagine, all the teams look at what each other do. It’s clever and we think it could be beneficial, so not surprised to see another team using it.”
The design had previously been viewed with caution across the paddock. While multiple teams considered developing rotating active aero rear wings for the 2026 regulations, several opted against committing resources due to potential drawbacks. Chief among these concerns is a brief sail-like effect during the opening and closing process, which takes longer than conventional DRS-style mechanisms.
With Ferrari and Red Bull now optimising their respective designs to good effect, McLaren appears ready to reassess. The Woking team brought its own sizeable upgrade package to Miami, which helped Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finish second and third respectively — McLaren’s most convincing performance of the season.
Field Closing Up as Development Race Intensifies
Brown believes the recent progress from multiple teams signals a tightening of the competitive order. Reflecting on Red Bull’s step forward in Miami, he said: “They’ve been quick all weekend, so they’ve got some great development on the car. Obviously [there’s] the Ferrari and then the Mercedes, so you have your top four. If you look at the lap times now compared to Australia, the whole field is starting to get consolidated. So I think in not too short order, we’ll be back to where we were with a very competitive, tight grid.”
The convergence comes after a difficult opening to the season for several teams. McLaren endured a particularly rough weekend in China, where both Norris and Piastri failed to start the Shanghai Grand Prix. The team has since recovered to sit third in the constructors’ championship with 16 points separating them from second-placed Ferrari. Mercedes leads the standings by 86 points.
In the drivers’ championship, Norris is the highest-placed McLaren driver after four races, sitting 49 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli.
Next Steps for McLaren Development
While Brown stopped short of committing to a timeline for a potential McLaren rotating rear wing, his comments suggest the team is actively evaluating the concept. With Ferrari and Red Bull having now proven the design can work effectively in race conditions, the technical calculus has shifted.
The development race will continue at the next round in Monaco on May 25, where the tight street circuit will provide a different test of the new 2026 regulations and the various active aerodynamics solutions teams have pursued.