Mercedes reveals why it rejected the Macarena wing over a year ago
The Mercedes Formula 1 team looked at building its own Macarena rear wing long before it was seen running on a circuit by a rival outfit. But according to deputy technical director Simone Resta, it decided against it. The rotating wing, whose main flap turns over when a car switches into straight-line mode, has become a very visible innovation so far in this current era of regulation. Ferrari ...…
Mercedes Formula 1 team considered constructing its own Macarena rear wing before it was observed on a track by competitors. However, deputy technical director Simone Resta revealed that the team ultimately rejected the design. The rotating wing, featuring a main flap that turns over during straight-line mode, gained prominence in this era of regulation.
Ferrari introduced the concept first, which was dubbed the Macarena wing, followed by Red Bull's version in Miami. McLaren has also tested a similar wing and plans to race one at some point in the future. Resta explained that while the Macarena wing reduced drag, it simultaneously decreased downforce in every session where the Open SM was active.
The team deemed the compromise unacceptable in terms of overall benefits, and they did not feel it was worth investing resources into development and component creation. Resta emphasized that this conclusion might change in the future, as the team continues to evaluate solutions and maintain an iterative process. Mercedes currently leads the constructors' championship by 578 points, with a significant 134-point advantage over Ferrari.
The team's focus now lies in implementing the new wing upgrade on both cars following its previous split between drivers in Singapore.
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