McLaren is throwing its hat into Formula 1‘s increasingly crowded aerodynamic ring this weekend, confirming it will evaluate an experimental rear wing during Friday’s free practice sessions at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The Woking squad has confirmed it will run the new design throughout both practice sessions at Spielberg, adding a fascinating subplot to a weekend already expected to provide crucial clues about the pecking order in the 2026 season,
The timing is no coincidence. Ferrari first drew attention with its rotating ‘Macarena wing’ in pre-season testing, before racing its version in Miami, where Red Bull also unveiled their own interpretation of the design. McLaren, it seems, has been watching closely — and now wants a piece of the action.
Zak Brown hinted after Miami that McLaren believed a rotating rear wing could prove “beneficial,” and the team has wasted little time in turning that assessment into hardware.
But don’t expect Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri to be dancing with it in qualifying just yet. Piastri confirmed the wing will only be tested and not raced at this stage, with the exercise firmly framed as a data-gathering mission rather than a silver bullet.
McLaren wing part of development ‘pathway’
Technical Director of Applied Engineering Neil Houldey kept it measured. “We’re always looking to make refinements that add performance and lap time to the car. For this event, we’ve focused on minor detail updates around the car’s rear corners, as well as an experimental rear wing that will run throughout Friday’s sessions. While the overall package is lighter than some of our recent updates, these developments are all part of our season-long development pathway.”
McLaren has not publicly detailed its solution, but the Friday running will allow the team to gather data before deciding whether the concept, or a development of it, returns later in the season.
The timing also suits the circuit. The last time Formula 1 visited Austria, McLaren enjoyed a standout weekend, with Lando Norris converting pole position into victory ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri. Replicating that form in 2026, however, will be a tougher ask — McLaren currently sits third in the constructors’ championship, 16 points behind Ferrari and 86 adrift of the dominant Mercedes team.
The question now is whether this latest experiment is merely a data-gathering exercise — or the first glimpse of McLaren’s next aerodynamic breakthrough. Friday at the Red Bull Ring should offer the first clues.
A full breakdown of all the teams’ upgrades for this weekend will be available on motorsportweek.com later today!
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