How Ferrari's 2026 Macarena wing borrows from McLaren
The 2026 Ferrari Macarena wing upgrade for Hungary borrows from McLaren with triple winglet cascades in the rear-wing legality box, plus extra hangars for downforce. Ferrari skipped a similar Monaco move that Lewis Hamilton called a missed trick; now the Scuderia joins the trend as McLaren finally trials its Macarena-style wing in Hungarian GP practice.
Key Takeaways
- Ferrari has unveiled a high-downforce Macarena rear-wing update for the Hungarian Grand Prix, adding McLaren-like triple winglets where the activator normally sits.
- Lewis Hamilton said Ferrari missed a Monaco trick when rivals fitted extreme wing additions while active aero was restricted.
- McLaren will trial a revised Macarena-style upside-down rear wing in Hungary practice after an Austria garage setback, then revert for qualifying.
- Mercedes is also set to run a new rear-wing spec in Hungary with extra winglets on the upper flap.
What did Ferrari change on its Macarena wing for Hungary?
Ferrari has given a first look at an upgraded Macarena rear wing aimed at more downforce at the tight Hungaroring. According to The Race, the team added aero elements in the legality box where the rear-wing activator normally sits—a move many rivals made at Monaco that Ferrari did not.
The update introduces a triple-element series of wings in the central area, very similar to the version McLaren used in Monaco. Ferrari also added extra hangars above the rear-wing upper element to help increase downforce. PlanetF1 reported pit-lane images showing three curved mini winglets stacked vertically on the extreme high-downforce Macarena wing.
The rotating Macarena concept first appeared in pre-season testing in February and has been a fixture on the SF-26 since Miami in early May, with Red Bull and McLaren also producing their own versions.
Why does Lewis Hamilton’s Monaco comment matter now?
When active aero was effectively banned for Monaco, Ferrari was among the few frontrunners not to run an extreme-downforce regular rear wing. Hamilton told PlanetF1 and other outlets that seeing rivals’ “trick additions” on Thursday was “a little bit of a surprise.”
That missed opportunity helps explain the Hungary push. The Hungaroring ranks among the highest-downforce tracks on the calendar, so Ferrari is chasing grip rather than straight-line drag cuts. For more paddock and motorsport intrigue coverage, see BlasterPost’s True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries hub.
How is McLaren’s Macarena-style wing tied into this story?
Ferrari is not alone. McLaren is preparing to run its own Macarena wing on a race weekend for the first time. It had planned an Austria trial, but the wing was pulled before leaving the garage after early problems. After Woking modifications, a revised design was fitted to Oscar Piastri’s car ahead of opening practice.
Autosport reported McLaren will test the upside-down wing in Hungarian GP practice alongside a wider upgrade package, then remove it for the rest of the weekend. If the idea works, The Race says it will most likely appear first at the Italian Grand Prix; Autosport notes drag-sensitive venues such as Monza or Baku as longer-term targets. McLaren confirmed the wing is not scheduled for a full race introduction in Hungary or the following Dutch Grand Prix.
Red Bull’s Macarena path has been bumpier, with airflow reattachment issues linked to Max Verstappen’s spins in Austria and Britain. The team dropped the wing for Belgium but has hinted at a return in Hungary. Mercedes is also bringing a new rear-wing specification featuring extra winglets on top of the upper flap.