Ferrari’s “Macarena” reverse rear wing was never under threat of being banned and will remain legal in Formula 1 in 2027, according to FIA Single-Seater Technical Director Nikolas Tombazis. The governing body requested additional information from Ferrari and Red Bull following two incidents involving Max Verstappen’s RB22 at the Austrian and British Grands Prix, but the investigation focused on safety rather than a possible prohibition.
Red Bull subsequently identified the weaknesses in its own system and completed the necessary mechanical changes without being formally ordered to do so by the FIA. The revised design returned at the Hungarian Grand Prix and operated without further problems.
FIA confirms Ferrari’s reverse rear wing will remain legal in 2027
The future of the reverse rear wing was never genuinely in question. Nikolas Tombazis clarified the situation during a meeting with selected media outlets, including Motorsport.com, confirming that the concept will continue to be permitted in 2027.
Ferrari deserves credit for pioneering the solution known as the Macarena, one of several SF-26 innovations attracting attention from rival teams. Red Bull also uses a system in which the movable rear-wing flaps rotate, but its design is not a copy of the Prancing Horse’s idea.
The two concepts are fundamentally different, and Red Bull began its feasibility study during the previous winter, before Ferrari’s version had appeared publicly. Although the systems pursue a broadly similar objective, their mechanical operation and architecture are distinct.
How Ferrari and Red Bull’s reverse rear wings differ
The most visible difference concerns the direction in which the wing elements rotate, with Ferrari and Red Bull adopting opposite movements. However, the contrast goes beyond the direction of rotation.
Ferrari’s Macarena features a mechanism housed inside the rear-wing endplate that controls the movable elements. Red Bull, by comparison, retained a centrally positioned actuator on the RB22, similar to the arrangement traditionally associated with DRS.
Ferrari first made its system operational during the opening practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Red Bull then introduced its own interpretation at the Miami Grand Prix, two early rounds on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
McLaren is expected to debut its version at one of the races following the summer break. Mercedes, meanwhile, abandoned its project because of the need to keep development expenditure within the limits imposed by Formula 1’s budget cap.
The emergence of these different approaches has made the reverse rear wing one of the most distinctive themes in the 2026 aerodynamic development race. However, the system came under closer scrutiny after Red Bull encountered two consecutive failures.
Why the FIA reviewed the system after Max Verstappen’s crashes
Concerns intensified following the incidents that stopped Max Verstappen during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix and then the British Grand Prix. With the RB22 involved in two consecutive crashes, FIA technical personnel requested further information from both Red Bull and Ferrari.
Despite reports suggesting that the reverse rear wing could be banned, no prohibition was imposed or formally threatened. The governing body wanted to understand the specific characteristics of both designs and ensure that their operation remained within the required safety limits.
“When the first design of this type appeared, we wanted to make sure it was completely safe,” Nikolas Tombazis explained. “And that meant complying with several requirements, as is the case with many complex systems.”
The FIA therefore examined how the complete mechanism behaved, rather than considering only whether the movable elements could return to their normal position within the prescribed time.
FIA safety checks went beyond the four-tenths closing time
The investigation did not focus solely on the expected closing time of four-tenths of a second. The FIA also studied the car’s behaviour after the flaps returned to their downforce-generating position.
Closing the wing does not cause the airflow to reattach and return to its normal state instantaneously. The aerodynamic load may therefore take additional time to rebuild, making the speed, consistency and reliability of the movement essential to maintaining the car’s stability.
“We had a fairly in-depth dialogue with the teams to make sure these designs were safe,” Nikolas Tombazis continued. “Above all, we wanted to be certain that there was never a risk, for example, of a hydraulic failure causing the wing to remain open and preventing it from returning to the closed position.”
“Obviously, we also wanted that to happen very quickly, without excessively slow movements that could destabilise the car.”
The discussions ultimately established that the underlying reverse-wing concept was valid. Red Bull nevertheless needed to carry out further work on its implementation after the incidents involving Max Verstappen.
Red Bull fixed the RB22 wing without an FIA ban
According to Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA did not formally order Red Bull to modify its reverse rear wing. The Milton Keynes team had already identified the weaknesses responsible for the two incidents and determined which changes were required.
Red Bull used a conventional rear-wing configuration at the Belgian Grand Prix while completing that work. The reverse system returned at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where it functioned correctly throughout the event.
“We discussed the various aspects, but Red Bull carried out the modifications,” Nikolas Tombazis explained. “We never explicitly told them that they could not race with the reverse wing, but they knew more work was needed to be certain of its safety. I don’t think anyone wants their car destroyed in a crash.”
Pierre Waché indicated that the problems had been resolved through a mechanical intervention. The successful return of the system in Hungary supported Red Bull’s conclusion that its initial reliability weaknesses had been addressed.
Ferrari’s Macarena wing could inspire more F1 teams
Other teams are almost certainly studying the reverse rear-wing concept. However, it is an expensive project to develop and integrate, particularly under the budget cap. A team is unlikely to commit substantial resources unless it has sufficient assurance that the solution will not subsequently be outlawed.
The FIA’s position provides precisely that reassurance. Ferrari’s original Macarena remains legal, Red Bull’s independently developed system has been corrected, and McLaren is preparing to introduce another interpretation after the summer break.
For Ferrari, the decision preserves one of the most recognisable elements of its wider aerodynamic development programme. As teams continue examining ways to improve straight-line efficiency without compromising stability when downforce is restored, the reverse rear wing could become an increasingly significant area of technical competition.
There was no FIA ban, the concept passed the necessary safety discussions, and the weaknesses discovered on the RB22 were resolved by Red Bull. Ferrari’s Macarena wing will keep on dancing in 2027.
Leave a Reply