Ferrari Debuts Rotating Rear Wing at Chinese GP

Ferrari is set to debut its innovative rotating rear wing at the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend, marking the first time the design appears during a full race weekend in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The team confirmed the plan on Thursday ahead of the event at Shanghai International Circuit, where Lewis Hamilton praised the effort to bring the upgrade forward from its original schedule.

The rear wing, which has drawn attention since its brief appearance during preseason testing in Bahrain last month, rotates approximately 180 to 225 degrees to flip upside down. This mechanism creates a larger gap for airflow, significantly reducing drag on straights and potentially boosting top speeds by 8 to 10 kilometers per hour. Unlike a conventional DRS system that merely adjusts the wing's angle, the design fully inverts the main plane, aiming to improve aerodynamic efficiency and conserve battery energy by easing the power unit's reliance on electrical deployment. Ferrari will test the wing during Friday's sole practice session before deciding whether to use it in the subsequent sprint qualifying, a format that limits preparation time on this sprint weekend.