Vasseur reveals Ferrari plans to use ‘macarena’ rear wing on upcoming race weekends
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated: 11:50, 20 Mar
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Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has clarified why the 'macarena' rear wing introduced during Bahrain testing was taken off the SF-26 after FP1 of the Chinese GP weekend.
The 'upside down' rear wing shocked the F1 world in Bahrain, by flipping around 270° to generate downforce, and quite possibly lift, when on the straights.
The radical innovation made an appearance in China, but only for the sole free practice session, as Ferrari opted to replace it with a more traditional rear wing design for Sprint Qualifying.
'Macarena' wing 'probably' set for Japan, says Vasseur
Ferrari's innovative rear wing design introduced during testing in Bahrain - Image: Race Pictures
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Speaking to media, including GPblog, after the Chinese GP, Ferrari boss Vasseur explained the change prior to Sprint Qualifying, but also hinted that the 'macarena' wing could make an appearance in the race weekends to come.
Vasseur said: "We didn’t put enough mileage on the rear wing.
"And, with the system today, you have to do FP1 but you don’t have tests between the races.
"That means, if we want to put mileage on the parts, we need to do FP1, but we will do it again probably next week [in Japan].
"At one stage, the reliability will be okay, and the mileage will be okay, [so] that we will introduce it for the full weekend."
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Lewis Hamilton had also commented on the rear wing during the weekend, saying he was slightly confused why Ferrari decided to swap prior to Sprint Qualifying, but praising the team's efforts to deliver the wing earlier than anticipated.
"They did a great job to rush it here, and we only had two of them. It was maybe a little bit premature, so we took it off. The car was still great and we'll work to bring it back when it's ready," Hamilton said.
Hamilton makes blunt admission after securing long-awaited Ferrari podium
It ended up being a very positive weekend in China for Hamilton, as he scored his first-ever Ferrari podium after a painful 26-race wait.
The seven-time world champion reflected on the difficulties he's experienced to reach that podium, before adding how it should give him a 'mental boost' into the 2026 season.
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Friday 12.06.26
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Friday 12.06.26
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