McLaren is preparing to use a rotating wing in races.

      At the first Friday practice in Hungary, the McLaren team tested a new movable rear wing – in Formula 1, this is referred to as a "Ferrari-style" wing or Macarena. The MCL40 with this wing was driven by reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli, after which it was dismantled, but Andrea Stella still believes that the wing successfully passed the tests.

      "We understood that this would be a challenging project, but our engineers did an excellent job," quotes the head of the McLaren team, the Austrian publication Motorsport Magazin. "When Ferrari introduced such a wing at the winter tests in Bahrain and then first tested it in China, it was certainly interesting."

      A similar solution was developed at Red Bull Racing, first presented at the Miami stage, but while Ferrari integrated the pivot mechanism into the end plates, Milton Keynes and Woking took a different approach. On their cars, this mechanism is located in the central part of the wing; however, Red Bull decided to abandon the use of the Macarena after two rather unpleasant accidents involving Max Verstappen.

      The specific reasons for the accidents were not named, but apparently, they are related to the fact that the pivot mechanism malfunctioned.

      The tests of such a wing on the McLaren car at the Hungaroring went smoothly; all mechanisms and control systems worked as they should. An important point is that at the moment the wing closes, the aerodynamic flow must stabilize almost instantly, in a matter of fractions of a second, to restore the downforce level necessary for cornering.

      "Our engineers, adhering to the current regulations, did an excellent job with the task at hand – this applies to both the aerodynamics and the operation of the pivot mechanism," Stella continued. "It's not just about the downforce generated by such a rear wing, but also about how it affects the aerodynamics of the car as a whole.

      When dealing with such a complex project, understanding what happens to the wing on a real track is the most important aspect in terms of aerodynamics. It was extremely important for us to gather the necessary information during the practice, as with such projects, one can never rely solely on studies conducted in a wind tunnel.

      The tests in Hungary went positively; we received confirmations of our calculations and are now preparing to use such a wing in the upcoming races."