Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Ferrari has made a significant technical change ahead of sprint qualifying at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix by deciding to abandon its innovative “Macarena” rear wing for the remainder of the weekend.
The unique aerodynamic component was first unveiled by Ferrari during pre-season testing in Bahrain and was also fitted to the SF-26 during the sole free practice session at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The design quickly became a topic of discussion in the paddock due to its unusual configuration. The rear wing operates with a reversing or flipping mechanism as part of the active aerodynamics introduced under the new Formula 1 regulations for the 2026 season.
The nickname “Macarena wing” emerged in the paddock as a reference to the famous 1993 song by Los Del Rio, with the wing’s movement compared to the distinctive dance associated with the track.
Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Lewis Hamilton had praised the efforts of Ferrari’s engineers in Maranello for accelerating the development schedule of the component, which was originally planned for a mid-season introduction.
Due to the late completion of the part, the rear wing was reportedly transported to Shanghai in the luggage of team personnel to ensure it arrived in time for the race weekend.
However, following FP1—where Charles Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth respectively—Ferrari opted to revert to the Melbourne-spec rear wing used at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The decision is understood to have been made due to reliability concerns surrounding the new component. With the Chinese Grand Prix being held under the sprint format, the limited practice time available left Ferrari with little opportunity to fully evaluate the new design.
As a result, the Scuderia has chosen to run the proven Melbourne specification for the remainder of the Shanghai weekend while continuing to assess the development of its innovative aerodynamic package for future races.
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