Lewis Hamilton confirms Ferrari rotating rear wing for Chinese GP
1. Ferrari bringing new upgrade to Shanghai
Scuderia Ferrari will run its innovative rotating rear wing at the
Chinese Grand Prix.
The design was first tested during pre-season testing at
Bahrain International Circuit but was not used in the season opener.
Ferrari used a conventional DRS-style active aero wing at the
Australian Grand Prix before deciding to debut the new concept in China.
2. What the rotating rear wing is
The system is part of the active aerodynamics introduced in F1 2026.
Instead of opening like traditional DRS:
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The entire rear wing rotates to change airflow and drag levels.
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It is designed to improve straight-line speed and efficiency.
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It could help Ferrari close the gap to Mercedes on the straights.
Hamilton said the team pushed hard to bring the upgrade earlier than planned.
“It was supposed to come later… the team worked really hard to bring it here.”
3. Potential drawbacks
Some teams looked at the same concept but abandoned it.
Concerns include:
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A “sail-like effect” while the wing rotates
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Slightly slower deployment compared to standard DRS systems
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More mechanical complexity
Because of these risks, Ferrari is one of the few teams willing to run this design.
4. Hamilton’s view from the cockpit
Interestingly, Hamilton said the difference is not noticeable while driving.
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The driver mainly sees the wing move in the mirrors.
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The real effect will only show in lap times and straight-line speed.
He joked that the wing doesn’t even have a proper name yet:
“Someone said ‘Macarena’… I have no idea why!”
5. Why this matters
Ferrari finished strongly in Australia with:
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Charles Leclerc – P3
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Lewis Hamilton – P4
But Mercedes still has a big advantage on the straights, especially with the cars of:
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George Russell
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Kimi Antonelli
Ferrari hopes the rotating wing will reduce that gap.
Key takeaway:
Ferrari is pushing aggressive development early in the 2026 season, and the rotating rear wing could become one of the most important technical innovations on the grid if it proves faster than conventional active aero systems.