Ferrari is set to debut their innovative rotating wing on Friday at the Shanghai International Circuit in FP1 during the 2026 F1 Chinese GP. This will be the first time the Scuderia runs the “flip-flop” wings since the team showcased them during pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Ferrari’s first showcase of the “flip-flop” wings
Ferrari first ran the rotating wings on Day 2 of the second pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit. The innovative wings got its unoffical name from the media due to the movement of the wings on track. The upper rear wing component does a complete flip upside down instead of the usual angled-to-flat position movement, adopted by the majority of the grid. This creates a wider gap for air to travel through and hence reduces drag when driving down the straights.
Many drivers were shocked by the design during the pre-season test, with drivers like Ollie Bearman telling the media he thought there was something wrong with Lewis Hamilton’s car when he witnessed it on track.
It is still not clear how the rotating wing will boost the SF-26’s performance on track. However, this is a glimpse at the innovation happening at Ferrari as they capitalise on the new regulations and the freedom of design. The 2026 F1 Chinese GP will be the first time the Maranello outfit will be able to gain an understanding of the true potential of this unique design.
Hamilton shares his opinion on the “flip-flop” wing
Seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media on Thursday ahead of the 2026 F1 Chinese GP and shared his personal opinions on the innovative wing design. While he is still unsure of the true potential of the rotating wing, he did share that he was impressed with the work done by Ferrari back in Maranello. Hamilton revealed that the radical design was originally planned to be executed in the latter half of the season; however, Ferrari was able to deliver it much earlier.
“We did a full day or so on the wing – I think we did. I’m so grateful to the team because it was actually supposed to be later down the line, and they worked really hard to develop it and get it brought here.”
Why test at the 2026 F1 Chinese GP?
Following Mercedes’ success the weekend prior at the 2026 F1 Australian GP, Ferrari will be looking to close the gap after losing out by a mere few seconds. Hamilton had crossed the line in P4 behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who claimed the final podium position in P3. Mercedes claimed the top 2 positions, with George Russell taking P1 and Kimi Antonelli P2.
The Shanghai International Circuit has a significantly different layout from Albert Park. Unlike Albert Park, the Shanghai International Circuit is a permanent race track, which was resurfaced ahead of the 2025 F1 Chinese GP. This results in higher grip levels, providing a more balanced assessment of the 2026 livery. Ferrari will be able to gain a more accurate understanding of the SF-26 and the performance of the radical rotating wings on track.
The 2026 F1 Chinese GP will also be the first Sprint weekend of the 2026 F1 season. Which means teams will only have one practice session on Friday before Sprint Qualifying later on in the day. The Scuderia will be hoping to gain some fresh data and understanding of the SF-26 ahead of the weekend.
Hamilton shared that he is excited by Ferrari’s drive to close the gap to Mercedes. He also added that he is looking forward to seeing what the rest of the grid comes up with in response to the grid’s overall performance.
“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,”
Ferrari was one of the first few teams to halt production of their 2025 car to focus on their 2026 challenger. This resulted in a dip in performance for the Scuderia, which did not maximise the potential of their 2025 livery. Despite obtaining his maiden Sprint Race victory at the 2025 F1 Chinese GP, Hamilton knows that he has not seen the full potential of Ferrari at this circuit. The Briton is looking forward to exploring the maximum efficiency of the SF-26 at the Shanghai International Circuit.
“Last year I didn’t get to see the team’s full potential in that mode, because we were focused on this year’s car. I don’t know if it has an official name… Someone said ‘Macarena’, I have no idea why! It’s the ‘flip-flop’ wing!”
