It’s the first week of September and once again the Italian Grand Prix held at the iconic Monza circuit looms ahead. McLaren and Lando Norris have the momentum of winning the last two Grands Prix, and the team is finally set to fully debut its version of the Ferrari ‘Macarena’ rear wing.
The Evolution of Active Aero: Ferrari’s “Macarena”
Whilst DRS was abandoned for this season, the concept was incorporated into the low-drag straight-line mode; the concept remained that as part of this feature, the rear wing was allowed to ‘open’ to improve aerodynamic efficiency on the straights.
Ferrari’s design first seen in pre-season testing in Bahrain—unlike a traditional DRS flap that simply opens to let air through—features the entire upper element of Ferrari’s rear wing rotating 180 degrees. The Scuderia’s Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur jokingly christened it the “Macarena” because of the twisting, dancing motion the wing makes when it flips over, and the playful name quickly stuck across the paddock.
Red Bull’s Extreme Take and Safety Hurdles
Red Bull introduced its own take on the rotating, upside-down active aero rear wing at the Miami Grand Prix, although it works in a fundamentally different fashion. While Ferrari’s “Macarena” wing element sits underneath the endplates when flipped, Red Bull’s version goes even more extreme. Its upper element rises completely above the rear wing endplates to create an even bigger slot gap, losing even more drag.
Red Bull brought the design as part of a wider upgrade package to help solve some early-season handling and performance hurdles with the RB22. While it gives them massive drag reduction on the straights, the team has spent a lot of this season trying to balance out the car’s overall aerodynamics to match front-runners like Ferrari and Mercedes.
And all was not well with Red Bull’s design. In Austria, Max Verstappen suffered a massive crash at the penultimate corner as the rear wing closed but failed to reattach the airflow properly. Next time out in Silverstone, a similar failure cost Verstappen a Grand Prix finish; as he transitioned his Red Bull RB22 out of low-drag straight mode and turned into Stowe corner, the rear wing failed to close properly.
McLaren’s “H-Wing” and Historical Echoes
Red Bull have since assured Max they have fixed the problem, and in Monza, it may prove to be decisive with the long straights and the cars on full throttle for almost 75% of the lap. McLaren will finally debut fully their version of the rotating rear wing, although in typical branding fashion, the Woking-based team have called theirs the “H-Wing.”
There are echoes here of the infamous McLaren F-Duct from 2010. With active aero banned at the time, this was a passive system where airflow was routed through a duct in the cockpit. By blocking a hole with their leg or knee (near the “F” in their Vodafone sponsor logo), the driver could stall the rear wing on straightaways, instantly shedding drag and boosting top speed. It was so clever that nearly every other team scrambled to copy it before it was banned for the following season.
The H-Wing is now a play on the sponsor Etihad, which sits in the middle of the rear wing on the MCL40. McLaren first tested the wing in Austria, but were unhappy with its functionality. Again in FP1 it appeared in Budapest, but again was not used in qualifying or the race.
Tackling Monza: Engineering and Energy Management
In Monza, McLaren technical director for engineering Neil Houldey spoke to assembled media over the weekend regarding the H-Wing’s development journey. “This weekend, we have brought what we believe is needed to be competitive, including a new low-drag rear wing specification, including the first use of our H-Wing, alongside some small aerodynamic and low-drag options that we will evaluate before deciding the final specification for qualifying,” revealed Houldey.
“Overall, we know there is still more performance to unlock from the MCL40, both through maximising the package we already have and through further upgrades planned for the races ahead.”
Referring to their back-to-back victories in Budapest and Zandvoort, Houldey claimed the entire team were buoyed by their success, but warned that Monza is a very different kind of circuit layout from the Netherlands and Hungary.
“Our rivals will continue to bring aerodynamic and power unit developments, so we will need to execute every detail well – from set-up and energy management to ensuring the drivers can perform at their absolute best – if we aspire to fight at the front again.
“Monza presents a unique challenge, with its long straights placing a premium on drag reduction, while the heavy braking zones demand stability and the chicanes require good ride performance.”
The configuration will see the all-new hybrid cars for 2026 starved of the ability to recover electrical energy, so understanding where best to recharge and deploy will be key to the weekend. In Zandvoort, Lando Norris believed he mastered this new aspect of driving a Formula One car, and it was this that made the difference, ensuring him the race win.
“Managing overtakes will therefore be particularly important, as different approaches to harvesting and deploying energy could create a yo-yo effect, with cars trading an advantage at different points around the lap,” Houldey adds. “That said, the margins at the front remain extremely tight, so the accuracy of our pre-event simulation and simulator work will be critical in giving us a strong baseline.”
Formula 1’s transition into the 2026 active-aero era has turned out to be an absolute technical arms race. From Ferrari’s playful “Macarena” wing to Red Bull’s high-stakes redesign and McLaren’s clever “H-Wing,” teams are constantly pushing the limits of innovation to conquer the straights of Monza and beyond. With the championship battle ever tightening, even the smallest engineering breakthrough could flip the script on the rest of the season.
Would you like to see more TJ13 Formula 1 coverage? Add us to your favourites list on Google to receive trusted F1 news.
The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
