Red Bull rules out use of rotating wing in F1 Belgian GP after Max Verstappen accidents
The Red Bull team decided not to use the rotating rear wing on its vehicles at the Belgian Grand Prix, which had previously been implemented on Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar’s cars for the first time in Miami in May. For this weekend’s stage, the Austrian team opted to return to a conventional wing model, without the inverted rotation mechanism that was designed to optimize aerodynamic drag on straights.
This change by the team is motivated by safety concerns, a consequence of two recent episodes involving driver Max Verstappen. The four-time champion had a serious collision during the qualifying session for the Austrian Grand Prix and, at another point, was forced to abandon the race in Great Britain after losing control and hitting the gravel barrier.
On the same topic: After charging Verstappen, Red Bull seeks cause of wing failure and studies scrapping the project
“We will return to the previous model and evaluate when the latest version will be properly prepared to be used again”, declared Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, during a press conference held this Thursday, July 17, 2026.
The two Verstappen incidents shared a crucial characteristic: they both occurred shortly after entering high-speed corners. The investigation revealed that, in both situations, the Red Bull’s rear wing failed to close properly, resulting in an aerodynamic imbalance that caused the Dutch driver to lose control of his car.
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After the crash at Silverstone, the competitor expressed great concern about the faults presented by the rear wing. He expressed his displeasure with the condition of the car, classifying the episodes as “extremely dangerous” due to the risks involved.
The accidents on the track also alerted the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The entity chose to begin a detailed analysis of the functioning of the rear wings, not only on Red Bull cars, but also on those of Ferrari, which pioneered the application of the rotating rear wing concept, named “Macarena” by Frédéric Vasseur, the Maranello team boss.
The rotating rear wing, however, has not been a cause for concern for Ferrari. The Italian team carried out extensive tests with the concept over a considerable period, and to date, has not recorded any operating problems. Red Bull focuses its efforts on resolving safety issues and, in the future, reintegrate the component into its vehicles.
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