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Max Verstappen has confirmed that Red Bull will bring its reworked rotating rear wing back to the RB22 for the Hungarian Grand Prix, one race after the team removed the development at Spa-Francorchamps.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit first introduced the concept in Miami, where it delivered an immediate performance gain. Red Bullâs design followed Ferrariâs much-discussed âMacarenaâ rear wing, but featured a larger gap between its upper elements as part of its upside-down approach.
The innovation soon became a liability. Verstappen spun at the Red Bull Ring and later at Silverstone after the airflow failed to reattach quickly enough when the upper flags closed. Without the expected aerodynamic load, the car did not have the downforce required for cornering.
The incidents had different triggers, but both prompted the Laurent Mekies-led team to take action before the Belgian round. Red Bull removed the wing at Spa while it investigated the failures.
Red Bull now believes the revised component is ready for the Hungaroring. Technical director Pierre Waché had already indicated that the wing could return in Budapest, and Verstappen has now confirmed that it has been refitted to his car.
Speaking to Viaplay, the four-time F1 driversâ champion said the team had used the intervening period to conduct additional tests and simulations.
âWe assume that it has been resolved, but I obviously donât know that,â Verstappen said. âThey have carried out multiple tests and run further simulations. Hopefully it closes properly now. That is the goal.â
The Dutchman identified Red Bullâs ability to reproduce the problem under controlled conditions as an important step in the investigation.
âFortunately, they were also able to simulate it,â he added. âIt is already very good that you can reproduce the problem. Now I just hope it has been fixed, because you obviously donât want that here either.â
The decision puts the revised rear wing back under race conditions at a circuit where a loss of cornering performance would carry an obvious cost. Verstappenâs confirmation nevertheless makes Red Bullâs position clear: the team believes the aerodynamic benefit is worth pursuing, provided the mechanism now closes as intended.
The development will therefore be one of the key technical storylines in Hungary, following Red Bullâs decision to prioritise investigation over immediate performance at Spa. For further context on the teamâs preparations, read our report on Red Bullâs confirmed fix for the Macarena rear wing ahead of the Hungarian GP.
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.