Following Ferrari’s example, Mercedes is now also using a front wing with movable flaps during the single-day Pirelli test taking place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Kimi Antonelli, assigned to this session with the W16 mule car, found an unexpected surprise waiting for him inside the Mercedes garage.
The Brackley squad has fitted a rather unusual front wing capable of moving the upper flap, anticipating the concepts that will become part of the many technical innovations set to debut in the 2026 rulebook.
The FIA has allowed teams to create temporary experimental solutions to help the sole tyre supplier gather valuable data on tyre behaviour when aerodynamics are altered through the Straight Line Mode. This system will reduce drag on the straights, making the new cars more agile, more efficient, and capable of lowering both fuel consumption and electrical energy deployment.
The Mercedes wing certainly does not go unnoticed. The nose features the full mechanism responsible for flap movement, and two large, clearly exposed hydraulic tubes linking the actuators are visible. It is a rough and very experimental solution, but one that can still provide the engineers with important feedback.
In 2026, the DRS will disappear entirely, as drivers will instead activate a system that opens both the front wing and the rear wing on every straight.
Ferrari was the first to adopt a mobile system, having already introduced it at the start of the summer during the Hungary test. The Maranello team has since gathered highly valuable data for the development of the new Pirelli tyres, which were officially presented today in Abu Dhabi.
It is also interesting to note that the FIA has authorized limited use of the new wheels during selected runs. These rims represent a hybrid solution between the current design and the 2026 specification. The single-supplier rule will no longer apply as it did in the ground-effect era; instead, each team will be able to select its own exclusive manufacturer based on a homologated design.
One thing is clear: the 2026 technical revolution isn’t waiting politely for January. It has already started in the Abu Dhabi desert.
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