The McLaren F1 team is the latest squad to trial an upside-down rear wing concept at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, following similar designs at Ferrari and Red Bull.
Ferrari shocked the F1 paddock in winter testing with a rear wing that rotated 180 degrees as straight mode was enabled, drawing interest from rivals as they looked to explore developing their own versions.
Red Bull came up with its own upside-down rear wing at the Miami Grand Prix, although this design differed in how it operated.
McLaren is now the latest team to trial a similar concept, rolling out what it called an “experimental rear wing” in Austria practice, which is understood to be an upside-down design.
“As part of this continued momentum, the team will deliver minor detail refinements on the MCL40’s rear corners. In addition, we will test an experimental rear wing throughout Friday’s Free Practice sessions,” the team wrote in its Austria preview.
The new rear wing is seen as a test item, so it is not expected to be used in Austria beyond Friday practice. Following careful analysis back at the factory, the design – or a variant thereof – could then reemerge later this season as a performance upgrade.
Lewis Hamilton broke a streak of consecutive Mercedes victories with his maiden Ferrari GP win in Barcelona.
Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
“We’re always looking to make refinements that add performance and lap time to the car,” McLaren technical director Neil Houldey said. “For this event, we’ve focused on minor detail updates around the car’s rear corners, as well as an experimental rear wing that will run throughout Friday’s sessions.
“While the overall package is lighter than some of our recent updates, these developments are all part of our season-long development pathway, and we’re continuing to look for every lap time opportunity wherever we can.”
McLaren’s recent upgrades, focused on larger packages in Miami and Canada, have allowed it to creep up on championship leader Mercedes. However, Ferrari’s own upgrades have also turned it into a key player, with both McLaren team boss Andrea Stella and world champion Lando Norris singling out the SF-26 as the best chassis in F1 right now.
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