Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Bernie Collins, former strategist for Aston Martin, has criticised Ferrari for its upgrade approach involving the team’s experimental “Macarena” rear wing during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend in Shanghai.
The innovative rear wing, which features a rotating mechanism that flips its aerodynamic profile, was brought to the Shanghai International Circuit at short notice. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc used the component during the weekend’s only practice session due to the Sprint format.
However, Ferrari decided to revert to its Melbourne-spec rear wing before Sprint Qualifying began. The decision meant the team entered the session without track-specific setup data for the configuration it ultimately used at the Shanghai circuit.
Leclerc later reported significant deployment issues during the final phase of Sprint Qualifying, particularly on his last flying lap in SQ3, which cost him considerable lap time. Meanwhile Hamilton stated the rear wing change had little impact on the overall balance of the car.
Collins nevertheless questioned whether Ferrari’s preparation had been compromised by the lack of meaningful data from practice.
“Charles Leclerc complained explicitly on the radio, saying that he lost the deployment on that flying lap at the end of the session,” Collins said on Sky Sports F1.
“Although Lewis said the car still felt mega and the wing didn’t seem to make much difference, the question is how detrimental it is.”
“We’ve only got one practice session here, and to run a wing that you’re then not prepared to take into the rest of the weekend doesn’t seem like the optimum way to start your qualifying preparation.”
Collins also expressed surprise that Ferrari did not test both rear wing configurations during the practice session, suggesting that a split-run strategy could have provided valuable setup data ahead of Sprint Qualifying.
“You could have started with one wing and then changed to the other halfway through the session,” she explained.
“At least you’d get some running with the other wing to help set up the car, get the balance correct and the deployment correct.”
According to Collins, changes in aerodynamic load and drag directly influence energy deployment and overall performance on the straights.
“As you change downforce and drag, you’re changing the deployment out of every straight,” she added.
The criticism highlights the challenges teams face during Sprint weekends, where limited practice time places greater emphasis on efficient testing and data collection when introducing new aerodynamic upgrades.
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