Formula 1 News: Ferrari bringing 'Macarena' wing to Shanghai

(GMM) Ferrari are carrying their spectacular folding rear wing (pictured) to Shanghai as cabin luggage, according to Italian journalist Paolo Filisetti, as the Scuderia launch an immediate technical offensive against dominant Mercedes following the Australian GP.

The wing, which caused a sensation during Bahrain testing before being withdrawn after half a day, features a mechanism that rotates around its own axis, allowing more air to flow through when open and generating higher top speeds.

Ferrari elected not to race it in Melbourne, but it has already received FIA technical approval, with a further developed version reportedly planned for the Canadian GP in June.

Filisetti reported that Ferrari engineers are personally carrying the developments to China after preparation to a tight timeline at Maranello. The strategy appears deliberate – Ferrari cannot afford to let Mercedes build an insurmountable points advantage in the early races, particularly given the uncertainty over the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds.

“The championship has only just begun, but Ferrari’s strategy already seems to be looking ahead,” Filisetti wrote.

The urgency is underlined by a second development reported in the Italian press – Ferrari is working at full speed on an entirely new internal combustion engine, having started 2026 with a transitional unit adapted from last year’s power unit.

The new architecture is already undergoing rig testing and could debut at Monza, though the final decision will depend on the ADUO system assessments and the championship calendar. It had originally been planned for 2027.

The gap Ferrari need to close is significant but not as daunting as qualifying suggested. Reigning world champion Lando Norris declared Ferrari’s cornering speed “incredible” after Melbourne, while Lewis Hamilton identified the straight-line deficit as the key area to address.

“I think we’re as quick as the Mercedes in the corners,” Hamilton said. “The car is good, we just need to figure out where their straight-line speed advantage comes from and catch them there.”

Charles Leclerc and Hamilton finished P3 and P4 in Melbourne, 15 and 16 seconds behind race winner George Russell. Leclerc diced with Russell in the opening laps in what became the defining battle of the race, but Ferrari’s decision to leave both drivers out when Mercedes pitted on lap 12 proved costly.

George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W17 and Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving the (16) Scuderia Ferrari SF-26 battle for track position during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 08, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images for Pirelli)

Team boss Frederic Vasseur acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead. “We saw promising signs in Australia, but the level is high and there’s still a mountain of work ahead of us.

“We want to continue making progress, collecting data, and working with focus to ensure a smooth weekend from start to finish.”