Overview
- McLaren confirmed Wednesday that it will fit an "experimental rear wing" to its MCL40 for Friday practice at the Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg to collect on-track data.
- Paddock reports and multiple outlets describe the test item as a rotating or upside-down-style wing that operates when Straight Mode is activated, a concept first shown by Ferrari and later developed in a different form by Red Bull.
- The team says the part is explicitly a practice test and will not be used beyond Friday unless analysis of the telemetry and mechanical behaviour supports further deployment.
- Ferrari and Red Bull use different mechanical approaches for their rotating wings—Ferrari’s mechanism sits in the endplates while Red Bull uses a central actuator—and McLaren’s trial continues the technical divergence among front-runners.
- Under the 2026 aero rules rear wings have become a key development area, so the test will be watched for signs that McLaren’s solution can deliver reliable straight-line gains and influence upgrade choices later in the season.