(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 1 team McLaren will use its new “H-wing” at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Monza (follow all sessions here in the Formula 1 live ticker!). The racing team from Woking, England, has now confirmed this.
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Neil Houldey, Technical Director, said: “This weekend we are using our H-wing and a new low-downforce rear wing specification for the first time. We also have other aerodynamic parts with us, about whose use we will decide by qualifying.”
The H-wing is a rear wing, similar to those previously used by Ferrari and Red Bull, where the upper element can rotate 180 degrees. This design was previously known under the nickname “Macarena” wing.
Why the “Macarena wing” is called “H-wing” at McLaren
Why McLaren takes a different approach in its internal naming: The Formula 1 team bases the naming of certain technical systems on their position on the car. The H-wing gets its name simply from the letter H in the sponsor lettering on the rear wing (Etihad), similar to how the “F-duct” in 2010 was inspired by the letter F in the lettering on the car’s nose (Vodafone).
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And McLaren is not done developing the MCL40 yet: “We know there is still more performance in our car,” Houldey explained. “On the one hand, we can still get more out of the car, and on the other hand, we can gain a bit more through further updates in the upcoming races.” However, Houldey did not elaborate further.
McLaren developed its H-wing over months but had so far always refrained from using it in a race. The wing design was tested during the first free practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix and was found suitable to bring advantages on fast tracks like Monza.
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