McLaren joins Monaco tech trend with intricate rear wing winglet

McLaren has joined the Monaco Grand Prix trend of exploiting the removal of active aero to add extra fins to the rear wing of its Formula 1 car. The FIA decided not to have any straight mode activation zones for this weekend's race on the tightest circuit on the calendar, meaning F1's moveable aero will not be used for the first time in 2026. Its absence has allowed teams to jump on an opportunity to remove their normal wing actuators and instead exploit legality boxes where bodywork is allowed to introduce some winglets.

Why it matters:

Even tiny gains matter around Monaco’s tight, low-speed streets. With overtaking nearly impossible, qualifying position is paramount, and every hundredth of a second counts. Teams are scrambling for any aerodynamic edge, turning the rear wing area into a canvas for intricate mini-wings.

The details:

• The FIA’s decision to ban DRS-style straight mode activation for Monaco left teams free to replace the actuator fairing with additional bodywork.
• McLaren’s design: Three winglets in the area where the adjuster would normally sit, plus two further elements set back. It’s as intricate as Mercedes’ central column-mounted multi-winglet concept.
• Mercedes debuted a radical version with several winglets off a central column and an additional element at the front of the fairing.
• Red Bull kept it simpler – two mini wings attached to the regular adjuster fairing.
• Ferrari and others like Racing Bulls and Cadillac added smaller wing tabs on the upper flap. Audi went a step further with an extra wing flap, while Alpine had one of the smallest.
• Despite the visual complexity, sources estimate the performance gain is just hundredths of a second per lap – not a game-changer, but still worth pursuing given Monaco’s margins.
• Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu confirmed his squad skipped the concept: “It’s such a small thing – it’s not a game-changer.”

Between the lines:

This trend highlights how aggressive F1 teams become when regulations offer a temporary loophole. While the performance uplift is minimal, the psychological and public-relations impact is real – especially for teams like McLaren and Mercedes who want to signal innovation. Don’t expect these winglets to reappear once DRS-style active aero returns for the next race.