F1TECH: Why did McLaren abandon its own Ferrari-style flip-flop rear wing?

McLaren arrived at the Austrian Grand Prix with two aerodynamic updates for the MCL40, although only one of them ultimately made it onto the racetrack.

The team had planned to debut an experimental rear wing during Friday practice, a design inspired by the ‘upside‑down’ or ‘Macarena’ concept first introduced by Ferrari and later adopted by Red Bull.

The unique rear wing design allows the flap to deploy to an alternative position in straight‑line mode, producing a larger reduction in drag.

McLaren intended to run the component on Lando Norris’s car in FP1, but the wing never left the garage. During final sign‑off checks, the structure did not behave as expected, prompting the team to abandon the test entirely.

According to technical director of engineering Neil Houldey, the factory had worked intensely to deliver the part in time for Spielberg, but the team was not comfortable running it once issues emerged in the garage.

Houldey explained that the correct decision was to focus track time on optimising the existing package rather than risking compromised running with an unvalidated component. As a result, the experimental wing will undergo further work before being introduced at a future event.

In addition to the rear‑wing update, McLaren introduced a revised rear brake duct inlet. The geometry of the inlet has been reshaped to improve local flow conditioning around the rear corner of the car, enhancing the aerodynamic load generated in that region.

By refining how air is guided into and around the brake assembly, the team aims to stabilise the wake structures that influence both rear‑tyre performance and the efficiency of the diffuser.

"The rear brake duct inlet has been revised, targeting an improvement in local flow conditioning and resultant gain in aerodynamic load generated around the rear corner," noted McLaren.