Max Verstappen tests Red Bull's take on radical Ferrari rear wing

Max Verstappen has tested a Red Bull-developed rear wing inspired by Ferrari's radical 'Macarena' design during a filming day at Silverstone. The test indicates Red Bull is actively exploring innovative concepts to maintain its competitive edge, though its mechanical execution differs significantly from the Ferrari original that has yet to race.

Why it matters:

Red Bull, despite its current dominance, continues a philosophy of relentless development, exploring even rival concepts that show promise. Ferrari's failure to deploy its complex wing in a race so far highlights the gap between a clever test idea and a reliable, race-worthy component, underscoring the engineering challenge Red Bull is now attempting to solve in its own way.

The details:

• During a filming day in the 2022 RB22 show car, Verstappen evaluated several new parts, including a revised front wing, sidepods, and the Ferrari-inspired rear wing.
• Ferrari's original design, dubbed the 'Macarena,' features a wing that rotates a full 270 degrees on straights to reduce drag, with actuators hidden within the endplates.
• Key Difference: Red Bull's version appears to use a more conventional central pillar as the actuator mechanism, suggesting a different engineering solution to achieve a similar aerodynamic effect.
• Ferrari's Track Record: Despite having the wing since pre-season testing, Ferrari has been cautious. It was absent in Australia and Japan and only used in practice in China before reverting to a standard wing for competitive sessions, indicating ongoing reliability or performance concerns.

What's next:

The test does not guarantee this specific wing will appear on the 2024 challenger, but it signals Red Bull's proactive R&D direction. All eyes will be on whether Ferrari can finally make its concept work in race conditions or if Red Bull's interpretation, potentially simplified, could beat them to the punch. The development race continues off-track, with innovation remaining the key to on-track success.