McLaren studies “Macarena” rear wing as Ferrari and Red Bull spark new F1 development battle
McLaren appears ready to join one of the most intriguing technical trends to emerge in Formula 1 this season, with the Woking-based team reportedly evaluating its own interpretation of the now-famous rotating rear wing concept nicknamed the “Macarena.”
What initially looked like an unusual Ferrari experiment during winter testing is quickly evolving into one of the most talked-about aerodynamic ideas in the Formula 1 paddock, with rival teams now paying close attention to its potential performance benefits. After extensive on-track evaluations during practice sessions in the opening race weekends, followed by a final filming day test at Monza in late April, Ferrari officially introduced the so-called Macarena wing in Miami. But the Italian team was not alone in bringing this concept to the grid.
Red Bull also arrived in Florida with its own interpretation of the solution, incorporating it as part of a major upgrade package for the RB22. The result was an immediate step forward in competitiveness, although it remains difficult to isolate exactly how much of that gain came specifically from the rear wing concept.
Max Verstappen returned to front-running form with a strong qualifying performance, while McLaren itself enjoyed its most competitive weekend of the season, securing a double podium through Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the Grand Prix won by Kimi Antonelli, after the reigning world champion had taken victory in Saturday’s Sprint.
Zak Brown admits McLaren interest in Ferrari-inspired concept
McLaren CEO Zak Brown openly acknowledged that the team is closely monitoring the development.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, the American executive said: “We have. As you can imagine, all teams look at what everyone else is doing.”
He continued: “It’s a smart idea and we think it could be beneficial, so we’re not surprised to see another team using it.”
Those comments have naturally fueled speculation that McLaren engineers are already working behind the scenes on integrating a similar aerodynamic concept into the MCL40, as the development battle at the sharp end of the grid becomes increasingly intense. After a somewhat inconsistent start to the season, both McLaren and Red Bull showed clear performance gains in Miami, further intensifying the battle with Ferrari and Mercedes.
A tighter Formula 1 grid emerging
Zak Brown believes the performance gaps between Formula 1’s leading teams are already beginning to close, and the razor-thin margins seen in Miami support that view.
Commenting on Red Bull’s progress after a difficult start to the season, the McLaren chief said: “They were fast all weekend, so they clearly brought an excellent development package to the car.”
“Obviously Ferrari is there, and then Mercedes as well, so you now have the top four teams. If you compare lap times now to Australia, the whole field is starting to get stronger.”
That trend suggests Formula 1 could soon return to the ultra-competitive landscape fans have seen in previous eras, despite the challenges of a new technical regulation cycle: “I think before too long we’ll be back to where we were, with a very competitive and tightly packed grid,” Zak Brown concluded.
If McLaren does introduce its own version of the Macarena rear wing in the coming races, Formula 1’s aerodynamic chess match could become even more fascinating — especially with Mercedes also expected to bring a significant upgrade package for the next round in Canada.
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