Ferrari will introduce a third version of its Macarena rear wing on the SF-26 at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix, combining Mercedes-origin hanger flaps with details inspired by Red Bull and McLaren. The upgrade is designed to increase overall downforce without creating an excessive drag penalty, an especially important compromise around the tight and twisting Hungaroring.
Ferrari’s next major development package will not arrive until after the summer break. Zandvoort and Monza are expected to determine how the team’s World Championship campaign unfolds through December, with further developments and an updated ADUO power unit on the way. Before then, however, Ferrari must contest the Hungarian Grand Prix, where the SF-26’s strength through slower corners could prove valuable. There are also weaknesses that could be exposed, meaning Ferrari cannot regard the weekend as a straightforward opportunity.
In the words of Frédéric Vasseur, “the track could suit us, but nothing is guaranteed and we have to execute the weekend perfectly.” The Ferrari team principal repeated that message almost like a mantra after Spa and again at the beginning of the Hungarian GP weekend, reinforcing his warning about the importance of perfect execution.
Ferrari SF-26 rear wing upgrade arrives in Hungary
Development work at Maranello remains relentless, and the SF-26 will feature a change that had already been anticipated. The evolved Macarena rear wing discussed before Spa was not introduced in Belgium, but the engineers working under Loïc Serra continued developing a version that represents another step forward in overall aerodynamic efficiency.
Ferrari did not rush to introduce the component in Belgium because the team wanted to complete the necessary work. The result is a third version of the Macarena wing, following the original specification and its first evolved design.
Mercedes and Red Bull ideas shape the hanger flaps
As reported by the Italian website Autoracer.it, one of the most visible changes is the presence of two small appendages, known as hanger flaps, above the movable flap towards its outer sections. The solution originated with Mercedes and has already been prohibited under next year’s regulations, although Ferrari appears to have taken more specific inspiration from a concept introduced by Red Bull during the season.
The two profiles are triangular and positioned in a more intermediate location between the central area of the movable flap and its endplates. This differs from placing the devices either very close to the middle of the wing or immediately beside the outer edges.
Loïc Serra, Diego Tondi, Frank Sanchez and their respective departments have worked towards increasing the overall aerodynamic load while limiting the accompanying increase in drag. Ferrari has therefore incorporated a Mercedes-style solution into the SF-26’s rear-end architecture, which remains considerably different from that of the Mercedes W17 because of the Macarena wing and Ferrari’s Flick Tail Mode system, commonly referred to as FTM.
McLaren-inspired mini-flaps exploit Ferrari’s unique layout
There is another important feature. By taking advantage of the Macarena wing’s design and the absence of a central actuator, Ferrari can exploit a regulatory opening previously used by other teams in Monaco, where there were no active-aerodynamics zones.
In place of the central actuator, Ferrari has installed an intricate arrangement of mini-flaps that clearly follows the concept developed by McLaren. This solution makes use of the regulatory volume that would otherwise be occupied by the actuator.
It is important to underline that, at least for now, Ferrari is the only team able to use this type of configuration while retaining active aerodynamics. Because the SF-26 does not require a central actuator, the corresponding volumes defined by the regulations remain available.
At Monaco, the absence of Straight Mode zones encouraged several teams to fill that space with similar appendages, but they then had to remove them at subsequent circuits. Ferrari did not introduce the concept in Monaco. Instead, it has now incorporated the solution at a track where active aerodynamics will be available, taking advantage of the complex design of its rear wing to unlock another potential benefit.
SF-26 returns to its high-downforce floor specification
After the visits to Silverstone and Spa, the SF-26 now returns to a high-downforce circuit and its most up-to-date configuration. Ferrari will use all the developments first seen in Spain, which were primarily designed to maximise the car’s available downforce.
The floorboard with three vertical elements also returns, replacing the single-element version used in the previous configuration. This can effectively be described as Ferrari’s high-downforce floor specification. Together with the new rear wing, it should help the SF-26 exploit its cornering strengths, although it does not change why Ferrari cannot assume Hungary will automatically suit the car.
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