After Crimson Bull launched its personal investigation into Max Verstappen’s Silverstone crash, with crew principal Laurent Mekies insisting the squad would go away “no stone unturned”, the FIA has additionally requested further data.
Motorsport.com has discovered that the governing physique has contacted each Ferrari and Crimson Bull relating to their rotating rear wings, which have turn into referred to as the ‘Macarena wing’ since their introduction in Miami.
Ferrari was the primary crew to unveil a rotating rear wing for the lively aerodynamics throughout pre-season testing in Bahrain, with the purpose of decreasing drag even additional. Though China had initially been focused as its race debut, Ferrari finally determined to not use the design till the Miami Grand Prix.
Crimson Bull additionally launched its personal model in Florida, though technical director Pierre Wache harassed that the inspiration had not come from Ferrari. In actuality, Crimson Bull had already been growing its personal idea since November 2025, with a design that rotates in the wrong way to Ferrari’s wing.
Crimson Bull’s rear wing is extra aggressive within the measurement of the lively aerodynamic opening it creates, and subsequently within the quantity of drag discount it might obtain on the straights.
Whereas Ferrari has to this point encountered no technical points with its Macarena wing, Crimson Bull has suffered two failures on Verstappen’s automotive.
Following his crashes at Spielberg and Silverstone, Verstappen has described the scenario as “tremendous harmful”
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Pictures through Getty Pictures
Are further checks or necessities wanted?
The crew has clarified that the incidents in Spielberg and Silverstone have been attributable to two totally different issues, though Verstappen described the general scenario as “tremendous harmful” after his crash final Sunday.
For the FIA, each crashes are ample purpose to hunt additional clarification from Ferrari and Crimson Bull. At this stage, the request is primarily aimed toward acquiring further data to make sure that each groups are absolutely compliant with all security necessities whereas the system is in operation.
These necessities embrace, amongst different issues, the utmost transition time of 400 milliseconds inside which the rear wing should shut. Logically, nonetheless, that point restrict doesn’t mechanically imply that the airflow has absolutely reattached.
The technical rules state: “Any adjustment of RW Flap could solely be managed by the FIA Normal ECU and will need to have a most transition time between the 2 mounted positions that doesn’t exceed 400ms, measured from the moment at which the command to alter mode is issued by the FIA Normal ECU till the place sensor, related to the FIA Normal ECU, confirms that the commanded mounted place has been reached.”
The FIA’s major goal at this stage is to have interaction with Ferrari and Crimson Bull to overview, in mild of the current incidents, whether or not each groups absolutely adjust to all necessities.
Solely afterwards will the governing physique decide whether or not any further rules or checks are required, for instance if Crimson Bull is discovered to have complied with each present requirement however such incidents are nonetheless doable.
In essentially the most excessive situation, the FIA may resolve to ban the idea for the rest of the season or for 2027, though that isn’t the target of the present investigation and isn’t instantly on the playing cards at this stage.
Though McLaren has additionally been engaged on a rotating wing, the FIA’s request has to this point been restricted to Ferrari and Crimson Bull
Photograph by: Paul Foster
FIA request presently restricted to Ferrari and Crimson Bull, not McLaren
Crimson Bull has already confirmed that it’s going to analyse whether or not it needs to race with the rotating rear wing at Spa-Francorchamps subsequent week. Other than the FIA request, Crimson Bull – significantly given Verstappen’s rising frustration behind the scenes – can’t afford one other rear wing failure.
“We’re going to overview the complete space to verify we depart zero probability for that to occur once more,” Mekies mentioned on Sunday night. “We are going to do no matter is important to be on the secure facet.”
Scrutinising the rotating rear wing idea has turn into much more vital as a result of extra F1 groups are introducing their very own variations. McLaren introduced a rotating rear wing to Austria for the primary time, however didn’t but take into account the design prepared to be used, not even throughout a free observe session.
Andrea Stella’s crew additionally selected to not use the brand new rear wing in the course of the Silverstone dash weekend due to the weekend format, however hinted that the wing may make its on-track debut in Belgium.
Motorsport.com understands that the FIA’s present request issues solely Ferrari and Crimson Bull, and doesn’t at this stage lengthen to McLaren.
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