For the second consecutive race weekend, Max Verstappen crashed due to an issue with Red Bull’s rear wing, although the four-time world champion immediately stressed that the two failures were caused by different problems.
“A different fault, let’s say, but the same outcome,” Verstappen explained.
After the crash in Spielberg, where Verstappen went off at the end of Q3, Red Bull said it understood the cause of that specific failure. It is all the more concerning that a different rear wing issue emerged at the very next race weekend – one the team had not anticipated.
Red Bull’s rear wing has attracted particular attention because its active aerodynamic system creates the largest opening on the grid.
The team introduced its own version of the ‘Macarena wing’ in Miami, with technical director Pierre Wache telling Autosport that the inspiration had not come from Ferrari.
The design is also different. While Ferrari’s rear wing can rotate by up to 270 degrees in one direction, Red Bull’s rotates by up to 160 degrees in the opposite direction.
Red Bull began working on its own concept in November 2025 and originally intended to introduce it in Melbourne. However, the team was not satisfied with it at the time, delaying its debut until Miami.
Red Bull’s version of the Macarena wing is effective at reducing drag, but has already caused two crashes
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
“No stone unturned” in rear wing investigation
Although Red Bull’s concept appears effective in reducing drag, safety must always come first. That applies not only to the FIA – which has been involved in the design process from the very beginning – but also to the drivers.
Verstappen described the recent rear wing incidents as “super dangerous”, a concern that becomes even more relevant with the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit coming up.
It means Red Bull can only race the wing again at the Belgian Grand Prix if it is completely convinced that all of its teething problems have been eliminated. That investigation is now underway.
“We are going to review the full area to make sure we leave zero chance for that to happen again,” Mekies said on Sunday evening when asked about the two separate failures.
Leaving zero chance of a repeat effectively means that every option remains on the table – including not using the rotating rear wing at Spa.
Red Bull still believes in the concept, but also knows it cannot afford another failure, particularly given Verstappen’s dissatisfaction behind the scenes.
“We will do whatever is necessary to be on the safe side,” said Mekies. “We have raced quite a few races with that concept now. We have raced since Miami, I think. So, it’s been a number of races.
“It’s too early in the analysis to establish whether it’s an issue with the concept or something else. But we are for sure going to leave no stone unturned when it comes to it. And we have all the options open.”
Red Bull cannot afford to risk a third crash, especially given Verstappen’s frustration behind the scenes
Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
McLaren has taken a more cautious approach
Those options include temporarily reverting to an older, more conventional rear wing specification for Spa. Naturally, the technical team led by Wache would rather avoid that, as it would represent a step backwards in terms of drag reduction and therefore outright performance.
That is particularly significant at an energy-starved circuit such as Spa, where energy management is once again expected to play a crucial role – an area in which Red Bull has not excelled so far this season. That makes every bit of drag reduction valuable.
But if any doubt remains over the current specification – and if that doubt cannot be eliminated within the next two weeks – then Red Bull has little choice but to be on the safe side.
Another setback like those in Spielberg and Silverstone is the last thing the team needs, especially given Verstappen’s frustrations on Sunday night.
Interestingly, McLaren brought its own rotating rear wing to Spielberg for the first time, but chose not to use it there because the team did not yet consider the design ready, not even for a free practice session.
The team also did not run it at Silverstone due to the sprint format, meaning Spa could become its first real test. In light of Red Bull’s recent problems, McLaren’s cautious approach is easy to understand.
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– The Autosport.com Team
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