Ferrari to Test Revolutionary Rotating Rear Wing in Shanghai

Ferrari will trial its radical rotating rear wing during practice for the Chinese Grand Prix, a design that flips its upper element to reduce drag on straights. The Scuderia will use the single practice session in Shanghai to decide if the wing, fast-tracked from its original development schedule, will be used for the rest of the Sprint weekend. Lewis Hamilton praised the team's accelerated efforts, highlighting their push to close the performance gap to early-season leaders Mercedes.

Why it matters:

This test represents Ferrari's aggressive and innovative approach to the 2026 development race. If successful, the unconventional wing could provide a tangible performance advantage, particularly on circuits with long straights like Shanghai. It also signals the team's responsiveness and technical ambition under the new regulations as they seek to recover from a deficit shown at the season opener in Melbourne.

The details:

• The wing first appeared in pre-season testing, featuring an upper flap that rotates roughly 180 degrees—effectively flipping upside down—rather than simply changing angle like a traditional rear wing.
• This motion creates a larger opening for airflow, significantly reducing aerodynamic drag on high-speed sections of the track.
• Lewis Hamilton confirmed the component was originally scheduled for later in the season, crediting the factory for working "overtime" to fast-track its development and delivery to Shanghai.
• The FIA has deemed the design legal, but its real-world performance and reliability remain unproven, necessitating the practice session evaluation.
• Within the team, the wing has been informally nicknamed the "flip-flop" wing or even "Macarena" due to its distinctive motion.

What's next:

Ferrari's immediate focus is the data from Friday's practice. The team will then decide whether to run the innovative wing for Sprint Qualifying and the rest of the weekend, a circuit where its drag-reduction properties could be highly beneficial. Beyond China, this development is a key part of Ferrari's plan to catch Mercedes, with Hamilton noting the current four-to-five-tenths-of-a-second race pace gap. The speed and success of such upgrades will be critical in determining the competitive order as the 2026 season unfolds.