Hamilton and Leclerc Face Uncertainty Over Ferrari's Advanced Rear Wing Ahead of Australian Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc may not have access to Ferrari's innovative rear wing technology for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The development comes amid ongoing controversy involving team principal Christian Horner.
As Formula 1 prepares for its 2026 campaign opener in Australia, uncertainty surrounds Ferrari's cutting-edge rear wing system and whether it will be race-ready in time.
Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc could potentially be deprived of the Scuderia's advanced aerodynamic device when the grid lines up for the Australian Grand Prix. The technical innovation, which has been hailed as a significant engineering achievement, faces questions about its availability for the season's inaugural round.
The situation has become more complicated following a fresh development in the ongoing dispute involving Christian Horner, adding another layer of intrigue to the pre-season narrative. The controversy continues to impact teams and drivers as they finalize preparations for the year ahead.
Ferrari's engineering department remains focused on resolving the issues that could prevent the rear wing from being integrated into the cars for the opening race in Melbourne. The outcome could significantly affect the Prancing Horse's competitive position as Hamilton and Leclerc look to make strong starts to their respective campaigns.
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Related Regulations
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Full Regulation Text
Article C3.11.1
Rear Wing Profiles
Chapter: C3
In Simple Terms
The rear wing must fit within a specific design area and can have up to three separate sections. It cannot have inward-curving surfaces visible from underneath, and any inward curves visible from above must have a minimum radius of 100mm to ensure safety and fair aerodynamic performance.
- Rear wing bodywork must stay within the defined RV-RW-PROFILES design box
- Maximum of three non-overlapping sections allowed in the rear wing structure
- No concave (inward-curving) surfaces allowed when viewed from below
- Any concave surfaces visible from above must have at least 100mm radius to prevent sharp curves
Official FIA Text
Rear Wing Profiles Bodywork must lie in its entirety within RV-RW-PROFILES, comprise of up to three non-intersecting simply connected volumes, and contain no concave radius of curvature visible from below and no concave radius less than 100mm visible from above.
Article C3.11.4
Rear Wing Pylon
Chapter: C3
In Simple Terms
The rear wing pylon (the support structure holding up the rear wing) must fit within a defined space and can't be too wide or thick. The main body of the pylon is limited to 5000 mm² of area in any horizontal slice, though there's a small exception near the exhaust pipe where it can be slightly larger.
- Rear wing pylon bodywork must stay entirely within the allowed RV-RW-PYLON zone
- Maximum cross-sectional area of 5000 mm² in any horizontal plane, except within 30mm of the exhaust tailpipe
- Pylon thickness cannot exceed 25mm when measured in the vertical (Y) direction
Official FIA Text
Rear Wing Pylon Bodywork must lie in its entirety within RV-RW-PYLON. In any Z-Plane, must have total area no greater than 5000 mm2 except within 30mm of Exhaust Tailpipe, and section thickness less than 25mm when measured in Y direction.
Article C3.18.14
Rear Wing Skins
Chapter: C3
In Simple Terms
F1 rear wings must be rigid enough that their outer surfaces don't bend more than 2mm when a suction cup applies a pulling force to them. This test ensures wings stay stable and maintain their aerodynamic shape during races, preventing teams from using flexible wings as an unfair advantage.
- Rear wing skins can deflect no more than 2mm under 60N of force applied perpendicular to the wing surface
- A 50mm diameter vacuum cup is used to apply the test force
- Deflection is measured at the outer edge of the cup and compared to the lower wing surface at the same position along the wing
- The measurement point must be at least 300mm away from other reference points to ensure accurate testing
Official FIA Text
Skins of Rear Wing Profiles may deflect no more than 2mm when 60N force applied normal to and away from element. Force applied using vacuum cup of 50mm diameter. Deflection measured at outer diameter of cup and relative to lower wing surface at same X-Station, at least 300mm away.
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