Monte Carlo has always been an atypical event, and this year is no exception. The FIA has banned the opening of movable wings for safety reasons, but as always happens in Formula 1, the teams have made a virtue of necessity. Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull have exploited the actuators of the movable profiles of the rear wings as supports on which to mount new cascades of flaps, in search of that aerodynamic downforce that never hurts in Monaco.
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The Ingenious Solution
The high top speeds of the new single-seaters have raised serious safety concerns among the narrow streets of the Principality. The Federation has therefore adopted a double countermeasure, anticipating the cut of electrical power starting from 200 km/h and completely prohibiting the opening of movable wings. The teams, however, have kept all the components of the electrical and hydraulic circuits in the car, including actuators, for which engineers immediately found a new function.
This is the case for Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull, on whose movable rear wing actuator additional flaps have appeared to generate aerodynamic downforce, without obstructing the movable profiles that will remain closed in Monte Carlo. The most elaborate solution is that of Mercedes, which has created four cascades of profiles, while Red Bull has limited itself to two elements, complete with endplate and Gurney. Ferrari, on the other hand, has not brought any of this, as the Macarena lacks the central actuator.
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Pushing to the Max in Monaco
The new flaps on the rear wings of Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull are emblematic of what kind of Grand Prix it will be. Teams are looking for maximum aerodynamic downforce, as this is lower compared to ground effect cars, so much so that simulations predict higher lap times than in 2025. There are also no particular concerns about drag, fuel consumption, and energy management. For the first time, the battery should not completely discharge on the straight, allowing drivers to push to the maximum without too many second thoughts. The only concern is the turbo, which will be important to keep under pressure to avoid losing power from the internal combustion engine. The Ferrari power unit has shown fewer problems than others in doing so, one more reason why many indicate the SF-26 as the car to beat in Monaco.
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