Lewis Hamilton praises Ferrari as ‘macarena’ rear wing debuts in China
Lewis Hamilton has praised Ferrari’s development push as their innovative rotating rear wing, dubbed the ‘macarena’, prepares to make its competitive debut at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Scuderia caused a stir during Bahrain testing last month when they unveiled the unique aerodynamic design on their SF-26 challenger.
Instead of the traditional method where the top element flattens to reduce drag on straights, the new design rotates into an upside-down position.
Although omitted from the season-opening race in Australia, the radical component has been spotted in the pit lane ahead of this weekend’s sprint event in Shanghai.
Accelerated development timeline
The Shanghai International Circuit features a massive 1.1km straight, providing the perfect proving ground for the drag-reduction concept.
Hamilton expressed gratitude for the accelerated engineering effort that allowed the part to arrive earlier than initially planned.
“It’s great to see that the team are fighting, the team are pushing and chasing and really working overtime back at the factory to be able to bring upgrades, because that’s the name of the game.”
The seven-time world champion added that bringing rapid improvements to the track is the essential nature of modern motorsport.
Testing the radical concept
Reflecting on his previous campaign, the British driver admitted he did not experience his team’s full potential regarding in-season upgrades as resources had already shifted toward future cars.
The veteran confirmed Ferrari completed a full day of running with the new element during pre-season testing.
When asked if he could feel a tangible difference from the cockpit during its initial trials, his response was highly pragmatic.
“Unfortunately, it did the same, we just see it in the mirror.”
Despite the lack of a noticeable sensation behind the wheel, he noted that he is eager to see how the component performs under intense racing conditions this weekend.
