F1 Testing 2026: Ferrari unveil genius trick on Lewis Hamilton car in Bahrain

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Ferrari unveil genius trick on Lewis Hamilton car in F1 Bahrain testing

The new SF-26 was again the talk of the paddock on Thursday

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 19 February 2026 12:55 Updated: 16:27

Ferrari's genius rear wing trick on their SF-26 has stunned the F1 world after its debut at Bahrain testing.

One of the new features of the 2026 F1 cars is active aerodynamics, which allows both the front and rear wings to be adjusted whether they are on the straight or approaching a corner.

The flaps on both the rear and front wings can be actively opened or closed. When closed they provide downforce but create drag. When they are open they reduce drag and downforce.

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Ferrari's use of active aero caused a stir during the second week of testing in Bahrain, after Lewis Hamilton's rear wing opened on the straight.

When the wing was open, it looked rather unusual and when it re-entered corner mode the reason for this quirk was exposed, after the wing fully rotated back into a closed position.

Ferrari have reportedly found a clever trick in the regulations which doesn't specify that the wing has to be mounted the right way up when the active aero is deployed. This means they can run the rear wing upside down as they go down the straight, similar to an aircraft wing.

After the Scuderia tested their new trick early on Thursday morning with Hamilton at the wheel, F1 technical analyst Sam Collins noted on the commentary: "I think Ferrari just tried it very briefly right at the start of the day and hoped nobody else would notice."

What advantage does an upside down wing bring?

Ferrari's upside down rear wing should reduce drag and generate lift, something which no other team on the grid has replicated thus far.

Reducing drag could also reduce rolling resistance for the tyres, altogether allowing for a greater top speed on the straights.

The introduction of the wing also be used to counter-balance Ferrari's exhaust wing, where an extra flap extends the diffuser area to help use exhaust gases to blow the rear wing area of the car, increasing downforce but at the cost of drag.

Therefore, Ferrari's new rear wing could serve to reduce this drag. The rear wing design is understood to be a test item, which will be analysed in Bahrain with no certainty it will be carried through the remainder of the season.

Ferrari have a pet name for new feature

Guess what, it already has a name too... albeit not a formal one. Team boss Fred Vasseur has already called it the 'Macarena'. Confused?

Well if you have never heard of the Macarena then you will be totally lost but luckily Vasseur has given you a clue with the arm-throwing in the air.

It is of course a reference to the massive pop hit from 1993 called 'Macarena', which anyone over the age of 30 has been forced to dance to at some point give you just could not get away from the song. It looks like Vasseur was one of those that enjoyed it a bit too much...

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