Red Bull improves ‘Macarena wing’ concept: faster activation than Ferrari. Red Bull appears to have improved Ferrari’s ‘Macarena wing’ concept.

As we now know, on April 23 Red Bull carried out a filming day at Silverstone, where it tested its own version of the so-called ‘Macarena wing’—the now well-known rear mobile flap that first appeared on the Ferrari SF-26 during the Bahrain pre-season tests. Two concepts that may look similar on the surface, but in reality are quite different in their technical execution.

Thanks to images and renders developed by RacingNews365.com, we can already get a preview of how the two solutions operate and, therefore, what we might expect to see in Miami. According to the comparative video analysis produced by the Dutch outlet, Red Bull’s solution could already represent a step forward compared to Ferrari’s interpretation.

Red Bull appears to have solved the opening and closing timing issue

In its early appearances, Ferrari has never actually raced with its version of the wing, despite testing it both in Sakhir and during Free Practice sessions in Suzuka. The main reason lies in a timing mismatch between the activation of the front movable flap and the rear ‘Macarena wing’ system.

Because the rear flap requires a rotation of roughly 270 degrees, the time needed to open and close it is significantly longer compared to the front system or a conventional rear wing mechanism. This delay has so far prevented Ferrari from fully integrating the solution into race conditions.

Red Bull, however, appears to have addressed this limitation. According to simulations carried out by RacingNews365.com, the solution did not require complex kinematic redesigns. Instead, the key change was simply altering the direction of rotation.

The movable flap mounted on the RB22’s rear wing is believed to rotate in the opposite direction compared to Ferrari’s design, performing a rotation of approximately 160 degrees.

Even when looking at this aspect alone, the engineers in Milton Keynes seem to have already taken a significant step forward compared to Ferrari, potentially gaining an early advantage in what is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing technical battles of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The battle for aerodynamic supremacy in this new era of Formula 1 often comes down to these marginal technical gains. While Ferrari may have pioneered the concept, Red Bull’s ability to refine the mechanics of the ‘Macarena wing’ could give them a decisive edge in the high-speed sections of the Miami International Autodrome. As the teams head to Florida, all eyes will be on the rear of the RB22 to see if this quicker actuation translates into a tangible lap time advantage.