Overview
- McLaren confirmed on Tuesday that it will run an experimental upside-down rear wing during Friday free practice at the Austrian Grand Prix as a test item.
- The wing is part of a small update package focused on minor refinements around the car’s rear corners and is not expected to race this weekend.
- Ferrari first drew attention to the rotating or inverted rear-flap idea in Bahrain testing and raced a version in Miami while Red Bull fielded its own variant in Miami earlier this season.
- McLaren has not disclosed how its design operates on the MCL40 and will analyse Friday’s on-track data at the factory before deciding whether to develop or reintroduce the concept.
- Teams use Friday practice to compare new aero parts because downforce and drag gains depend on each car’s packaging and on how the FIA rules are interpreted, so McLaren’s test could affect its mid-season upgrade path and prompt closer scrutiny of the idea.