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Red Bull targets Hungary return with fixed Macarena wing

Red Bull targets Hungary return with fixed Macarena wing

Summary
Red Bull is finalizing mechanical fixes for its Macarena rear wing in hopes of reintroducing it at next weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, having withdrawn the design at Spa following crashes tied to the component.

Red Bull expects to have a mechanically fixed Macarena rear wing ready for next weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix after shelving the design for this weekend's Belgian race. Technical director Pierre Wache said the team traced the issue to a mechanical failure following Max Verstappen's crashes at the British GP and in Austrian qualifying, with Milton Keynes now working on reinforced components.

Why it matters:

The episode is a reminder of how quickly clever aerodynamics can backfire if the hardware isn't robust. With the FIA keeping a close eye on these movable rear wing concepts, Red Bull needs to prove its design is safe before it can chase the straight-line speed rewards the concept promises.

The details:

  • What went wrong: Wache traced the failure to a mechanical issue in the wing's activation mechanism after Verstappen's Silverstone crash, which is why the team pulled it from the car at Spa.
  • The fix: Milton Keynes is making key parts "stronger" so the rotating element can survive race loads, though the team hasn't revealed exactly what changed.
  • FIA talks: The governing body asked both Red Bull and Ferrari for assurances over their upside-down wings. Wache said the FIA is happy with the fix, but Red Bull wants to be "100% sure" before bolting it back on.
  • Ferrari contrast: Ferrari has kept its version on the car at Spa without any drama. Vasseur stressed the two concepts aren't the same — Ferrari's wing rotates differently — and said his team has racked up 10,000km trouble-free since finally racing it from round four.

What's next:

The plan is to run the revised wing at the Hungaroring next weekend if factory sign-off goes smoothly. Red Bull is taking a deliberately cautious approach, and the return will show whether the team can finally tap into the concept's aerodynamic efficiency without risking another failure.

Original Article :https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/red-bull-has-fix-for-its-parked-macarena-wing...

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