Ferrari's Innovative Rotating Rear Wing Shelved After Brief Chinese GP Trial
Ferrari's experimental 180-degree rotating rear wing made a return appearance at the Chinese Grand Prix, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton testing the innovative component during Friday practice. However, the groundbreaking device was abandoned after the opening session, following a concerning incident involving Hamilton.
The Scuderia's revolutionary rear wing technology, which debuted during pre-season testing earlier in the year, received another chance to prove its worth at Shanghai. The unconventional design, capable of rotating a full 180 degrees, was deployed on both Ferrari drivers' cars during the sole free practice session of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.
Yet the ambitious experiment proved short-lived. While Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton conducted their evaluations on Friday, a notable incident involving Hamilton – triggered when the wing closed unexpectedly – raised questions about the component's reliability and safety under racing conditions. This setback appears to have prompted Ferrari to abandon further development of the concept for the remainder of the Shanghai weekend.
The decision to shelve the rotating wing after just one practice session underscores the delicate balance teams must strike between innovation and risk management. What appeared promising during controlled testing conditions evidently presented unforeseen challenges when deployed in competitive race conditions, leading the Maranello outfit to revert to conventional wing specifications for subsequent sessions.
Original source
Autosport
Related Regulations
Hover over badges for quick summaries, or scroll down for full official text and simplified explanations.
Full Regulation Text
Article C1.6
New systems or technologies
Chapter: ARTICLE C1: GENERAL PRINCIPLES
In Simple Terms
If a team invents a clever new system or technology that isn't explicitly mentioned in the rulebook but the FIA approves it, they can only use it for the rest of that season. Once the season ends, that innovation is no longer allowed unless it becomes an official part of the regulations.
- New technologies must be approved by the FIA before use
- Approved innovations are only permitted until the end of the season in which they're introduced
- Teams cannot carry over one-season innovations to the next season automatically
- The regulation prevents any team from gaining a permanent advantage from a loophole
Official FIA Text
Any new system, procedure or technology not specifically covered by these Technical Regulations, but which is deemed permissible by the FIA, will only be admitted until the end of the Championship during which it is introduced.
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 C3.18.14
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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