Red Bull scraps rotating rear wing as F1 teams unveil upgrades

Red Bull will use a conventional rear wing at the Belgian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen suffered high-speed crashes in Austria and Britain. Verstappen blamed the incidents on a "dangerous" issue with the rotating wing, which closed unexpectedly at the end of straight zones. The radical design, first introduced by Ferrari and later adopted by Red Bull in Miami, flips more than 180 degrees to reduce drag under new 2026 regulations.

With just 32 points splitting the top three in the standings, the financial pressure to upgrade is intense. The withdrawal of Red Bull's wing highlights a development race where millions in engineering resources can be rendered obsolete by safety concerns. Rival teams have arrived at Spa-Francorchamps with extensive upgrades to capitalize on any instability, with McLaren and Mercedes both introducing new rear wings to reduce drag and Mercedes adding a new front wing endplate.

Further down the grid, the spending continues as smaller teams fight for grid position. Racing Bulls brought upgraded sidepods, a revised roll hoop, a new brake drum assembly and a rear wing. Haas, which has lost ground this season, introduced a new front wing and beam wing. Audi arrived with a revised diffuser and a new rear wing in an effort to close the gap to Racing Bulls.

These mid-season investments are happening against the backdrop of impending rule changes that will demand fresh financial commitments. Williams team principal James Vowles noted that significant aerodynamic shifts around the bib, rear wing and floor are coming next year alongside new power unit regulations. Vowles said the changes are intended to improve the commercial appeal of the racing product, but they eliminate the ability to carry over current car designs, forcing European engineering teams to run parallel development programmes.

On the track, Red Bull's decision to revert did not hurt its immediate pace, as Verstappen and Isack Hadjar broke into the 1:47s to finish half a second clear of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who changed engines ahead of practice, later went fastest on soft tyres before being blocked by Carlos Sainz, prompting Antonelli to call him an "idiot" over team radio. Sainz now faces an investigation for driving back out over a run-off area after entering the pit lane.