Ferrari and Red Bull's Upside-Down Rear Wings: A Technical Comparison
Ferrari and Red Bull have both embraced an innovative upside-down rear wing design this season, aiming to exploit F1's new active aerodynamics regulations. While Ferrari's 'flip-flop' wing has been in the spotlight since pre-season testing, Red Bull recently unveiled their own unique version at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull joined the aerodynamic avant-garde at the Miami Grand Prix by unveiling their own upside-down rear wing. This comes after Ferrari made waves with their rotating rear wing during pre-season testing in Bahrain, a creation designed to maximize performance under the new 2026 regulations that allow for active aerodynamics.
In this new era, cars can switch to a low-drag mode along designated straights by flattening their wings, increasing speed while retaining downforce around corners. Ferrari’s new design, playfully dubbed the 'flip-flop' wing by Lewis Hamilton, flips entirely upside down to create a larger air gap, reducing drag on the straights. Although Ferrari initially held back its use, they brought it out again for the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint weekend.
Hamilton expressed his excitement about Ferrari’s relentless pursuit of innovation: “It’s great to see the team are pushing and working overtime at the factory to bring upgrades. Last year was about focusing on this year’s car, and now we are seeing the results.”
Technical expert Mark Hughes noted that the wing’s smaller upper surface creates a pressure differential, generating downforce. When flipped, the smaller surface becomes the lower one, opening up space in the gap more than a traditional flat wing.
Meanwhile, Red Bull's version, which debuted in Miami, is equally intriguing. Their design features an even larger slot gap, with the upper element rising above the rear wing endplates, contrasting Ferrari’s approach. According to Red Bull’s documentation, modifications to the mechanism and attachments allow greater travel of the wing components.
F1 technical expert Sam Collins noted, “The slot gap is enormous when fully open, perhaps even more extreme than Ferrari’s design. Red Bull seems to be trying to extract a bit of lift from these inverted elements.” This wing is part of a broader upgrade package targeting Red Bull’s performance against rivals like Mercedes and McLaren.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies emphasized the originality of their design, stating, “The concept was developed long before we saw what others were doing. We had bigger issues to solve first, but now we’re pushing hard.”
In the end, both teams are pushing the boundaries of aerodynamic design, looking for that competitive edge in a season marked by technological leaps.