FIA investigating the "Macarena" rear wings after Max Verstappen's crashes

Unlike the conventional way to activate the upper flap of the rear wing on Formula 1 cars as part of the active aero system, Ferrari and Red Bull make the movable element rotate instead of simply opening and closing.

Ferrari introduced their concept first in testing, and Red Bull then brought their own version over the Miami Grand Prix weekend, and while many thought Red Bull copied Ferrari, the Milton Keynes squad insisted their system was conceived long before the season started.

And while the system has clear benefits in terms of drag reduction compared to the conventional concept, it seems, in the case of Verstappen and Red Bull Racing, that there are issues.

Verstappen crashed in Q3 of Qualifying in Austria, with the team revealing that the rear wing was the issue. He also crashed towards the end of the 2026 British Grand Prix, with the rear wing also blamed, while pointing out a different reason for its malfunction.

Motorsport.com reports that the FIA has been in contact with Ferrari and Red Bull Racing to investigate their systems and ensure that they are aligned with the wording of the rules.

The rules say: "Any adjustment of RW Flap may only be controlled by the FIA Standard ECU and must have a maximum transition time between the two fixed positions that does not exceed 400ms, measured from the instant at which the command to change mode is issued by the FIA Standard ECU until the position sensor, connected to the FIA Standard ECU, confirms that the commanded fixed position has been reached."

While it is unclear whether the FIA will ban the "Macarena" wing for the rest of 2026, they are now looking to make sure Ferrari and Red Bull Racing are sticking to the rules.