Monaco without active aerodynamics: why Ferrari stayed conservative while Mercedes and McLaren took risks
The Monaco Grand Prix has always served as the ultimate high-downforce laboratory for Formula 1 engineers, but the 2026 edition has taken on an even more fascinating technical dimension. The FIA’s decision to impose specific energy limitations and, above all, ban the use of active aerodynamics to control top speeds has allowed teams to rethink the architecture of certain rear-wing components.
By preventing the transition to the low-drag configuration known as X-Mode, the cars are now forced to run permanently in their maximum-downforce setup. This restriction has enabled engineers to physically remove the hydraulic circuits and central actuators normally required for the system, freeing up a valuable section of aerodynamic real estate along the car’s neutral axis — the famous Y0 area.
Mercedes pushes the limits with a Monaco-only solution
On a unique circuit where drag is almost irrelevant, there is only one objective: generate as much downforce as possible. Without the extracting effect previously provided by the beam wing — although Ferrari has attempted to replicate some of its benefits through its Flick Tail Mode (FTM) concept — and with ground-effect performance significantly reduced compared to the previous generation of regulations, keeping the rear of the car planted through Monaco’s slow-speed corners has become increasingly challenging.
The situation is further complicated by the delicate management of the new-generation power units, particularly during traction phases.
With a valuable aerodynamic volume suddenly becoming available after the removal of traditional active-aero components, the leading teams have pursued fascinating but very different development paths. We have already seen how the engineers in Brackley and Milton Keynes have worked meticulously on the newly freed central section of the rear wing to optimize local airflow patterns.
At Mercedes, the central section of the rear wing has been enhanced with a sophisticated series of cascading winglets. This aerodynamic work represents an elegant attempt to reorganize the turbulent airflow arriving from the engine cover and the Halo, energizing the boundary layer and allowing the central section of the mainplane to operate more efficiently.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s car, designed under the direction of Pierre Waché, has featured two prominent vertical profiles mounted in the upper section of the cover that would normally house the hydraulic actuator. While not an entirely new concept, it is an evolution of a solution already seen at previous races.
Equipped with a noticeably curved upper lip, these appendages act as airflow guides, capturing air from the center of the car and generating a significant upwash effect. This forces greater interaction with the underside of the upper flap, helping extract additional downforce. Unlike Mercedes’ design, which appears tailored exclusively for Monaco, Red Bull’s concept could potentially be adapted for use at other circuits throughout the season.
Ferrari remained conservative — but for a good reason
Ferrari’s approach was entirely different, and there is a clear explanation behind it.
The rear wing of the SF-26 is based on a “reverse” architecture that does not naturally require the actuator to occupy space in the center of the main profile. As a result, Ferrari arrived in Monte Carlo simply removing the hydraulic components to save weight, without introducing additional cascading winglets or airflow-guiding devices.
Was this purely an aerodynamic decision, or the result of Budget Cap pragmatism?
While manufacturing such small aerodynamic elements would not be particularly expensive — especially with modern 3D-printing techniques — designing them, validating them through CFD simulations, and potentially testing them in the wind tunnel still requires resources. Investing those resources in a solution intended exclusively for Monaco’s unique characteristics may not have represented the best return.
This is particularly true considering that the SF-26 is already one of the most refined cars on the grid in this specific area. Ferrari’s now well-known FTM concept already delivers highly efficient rear-end performance and enhances downforce extraction between the diffuser and rear wing, offering a far more integrated solution than some of the more improvised alternatives seen elsewhere.
The engineers in Maranello therefore concluded that any gains from further modifications in this area would be even smaller than those available to rival teams. It is probably no coincidence that Haas — another team featuring a sophisticated aerodynamic layout around the exhaust area — also chose not to develop this section further. According to team principal Ayao Komatsu, the potential benefits were extremely limited.
McLaren introduces an advanced triple-plane concept
Looking towards the papaya-colored garage, what emerges is arguably one of the most sophisticated engineering solutions of the weekend, alongside Mercedes’ innovative design.
McLaren opted for a bold and visually striking triple-plane rear-wing architecture. As with Mercedes, the Woking-based team chose to split the aerodynamic profiles, allowing engineers to push overall curvature and wing incidence angles to extreme levels. The concept was specifically designed for the unique demands of the Monaco street circuit.
On a traditional two-element rear wing, such aggressive incidence angles would immediately trigger flow separation and aerodynamic stall. In McLaren’s design, however, the continuous blowing effect generated by multiple slots ensures constant re-energization of the boundary layer.
As a result, the airflow remains attached to the wing surfaces even under extreme operating conditions, generating a substantial pressure differential and significantly increasing downforce.
Three different interpretations of the same challenge
Ultimately, Monaco’s restrictions on X-Mode have produced three distinct technical philosophies among the front-running teams.
Red Bull focused on optimizing the Y0 region and maximizing the effectiveness of local airflow management. Ferrari adopted a conservative approach, relying on the inherent strengths of the SF-26’s rear-end architecture rather than investing in circuit-specific additions. McLaren and Mercedes, meanwhile, pursued far more radical aerodynamic redesigns tailored specifically for the streets of Monte Carlo.
The stopwatch will ultimately reveal which philosophy delivers the greatest performance advantage. The common objective remains the same: maximize vertical load, stabilize the rear of the car under braking, and ensure the traction needed to effectively deploy the power of the MGU-K — one of the key performance differentiators around the streets of the Principality.
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