Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren have now developed three distinct interpretations of one of Formula 1’s most eye-catching 2026 aerodynamic ideas: the deployable rear wing commonly known as the Macarena design. Although all three concepts pursue the same objective, significant differences in actuator position, flap movement and overall integration separate the solutions.
Ferrari introduced the concept on the SF-26 during pre-season testing in Bahrain, immediately attracting attention with movable rear-wing flaps capable of rotating far beyond the conventional operating range. Red Bull subsequently introduced its own interpretation in Miami, while McLaren became the third team to explore the system when it tested a version during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. The Woking team then put the configuration aside with the intention of refining it ahead of an official return after Formula 1’s summer break.
The rapid appearance of different interpretations illustrates how much scope the new rules have given designers during the 2026 Formula 1 season. With teams effectively working from a new starting point, concepts familiar from previous years have been rethought and, in some cases, replaced by substantially different aerodynamic mechanisms.
How the 2026 Macarena rear wing works
The fundamental principle behind the deployable rear wing is shared across all three cars. Its movable flaps can rotate through an unusually large range until they reach a fully flipped position. In that configuration, the aerodynamic surfaces can stall and reduce drag, helping improve straight-line speed and energy efficiency.
Where Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren differ is in how they achieve that movement. The rotation direction, position of the pivot and actuator arrangement vary significantly, meaning that three systems built around the same basic idea operate in noticeably different ways.
Ferrari removes the central actuator from the SF-26 rear wing
Ferrari chose the most distinctive architecture when developing the original SF-26 solution. Rather than retaining an actuator in the centre of the rear wing, the Maranello engineers moved the mechanism into the lateral endplate.
This arrangement leaves the central section of the wing unobstructed and causes the movable flaps to rotate counterclockwise. The packaging choice also creates space for additional aerodynamic elements in an important area of the car, allowing Ferrari to pursue further downforce opportunities around the wing.
The design fits into a wider aerodynamic package rather than operating as an isolated component. Ferrari developed the wing with the SF-26 diffuser and the specialised flap positioned behind the exhaust in mind, making overall integration central to the effectiveness of the concept. The architecture can be explored further in our Ferrari SF-26 technical analysis from the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Red Bull chooses a different rotation and lifting mechanism
Red Bull approached the same aerodynamic objective from another direction. Its system retains a centrally positioned actuator, while the movable flaps rotate clockwise rather than counterclockwise and complete a smaller rotational movement than Ferrari’s version.
The most obvious difference emerges as the wing deploys. Red Bull’s flaps rise beyond the lateral plates of the rear wing, producing a considerably larger opening between the main element and the movable flaps. A dedicated mechanism allows the surfaces to rotate and lift simultaneously, giving the Red Bull configuration a fundamentally different movement despite arriving at the same broader aerodynamic objective.
Although Ferrari initially appeared to enjoy the stronger reliability record, Red Bull seems to have worked through the problems encountered with its earlier configuration by updating the design.
McLaren combines elements of Ferrari and Red Bull’s designs
McLaren initially had no intention of developing a Macarena-style rear wing, but its engineers subsequently studied the approaches taken by Ferrari and Red Bull before producing a third interpretation.
The resulting design mixes characteristics from both rivals. Like Red Bull, McLaren retains a central actuator and uses clockwise flap rotation. However, its movable elements pivot around an axis similar to Ferrari’s. As a result, the McLaren flaps reach a final deployed position resembling that of the SF-26 and do not extend beyond the lateral plates in the manner seen on Red Bull’s car.
McLaren therefore appears to have selected a less ambitious and potentially more reliable route while it develops its understanding of the concept. Its Hungarian test came during a particularly active phase of the 2026 development battle, in which Ferrari is also continuing to push the SF-26. Charles Leclerc has already emphasised the importance of maintaining an aggressive approach to Ferrari’s 2026 upgrade programme.
Which 2026 F1 rear-wing solution is most efficient?
Despite their visible differences, there is no definitive answer as to whether Ferrari, Red Bull or McLaren has produced the best interpretation. The direction in which the flaps rotate creates different advantages and compromises, particularly during acceleration, braking and the transitional phases in which the aerodynamic surfaces change position.
Those characteristics cannot be assessed independently from the rest of the car. The efficiency of each mechanism depends heavily on how it interacts with the bodywork and surrounding aerodynamic structures.
That may leave McLaren with further work to do. Because its configuration was developed after observing existing solutions from Ferrari and Red Bull, the integration between the rear wing and the rest of the car may not yet be as extensively optimised as Ferrari’s original architecture.
Ferrari’s concept is more complicated, but moving the actuator away from the centre remains an important advantage of its solution. The additional freedom around the central portion of the rear wing gives the Scuderia greater scope to use aerodynamic devices designed to generate extra load.
Why the Macarena rear wing could spread further in 2027
The three existing interpretations demonstrate how differently teams can pursue the same objective under Formula 1’s new technical framework. Ferrari favoured sophisticated packaging and an unobstructed central section, Red Bull developed a mechanism combining rotation with vertical movement, and McLaren produced a more conservative hybrid of the two approaches.
The FIA has so far taken no action against the concept. With teams still learning how to extract performance from the new generation of cars, further convergence is likely as the regulations mature. By 2027, similar deployable rear-wing arrangements could therefore become increasingly common across the grid as more teams identify their preferred way of implementing the idea.
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