Mercedes and Red Bull have arrived at the Monaco Grand Prix with radical rear wing designs. Rear wings have emerged as a key area of development under the F1 2026 regulations so far. Unusual Mercedes, Red Bull rear wings break cover at Monaco Grand Prix Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust Ferrari and Red Bull have both raised eyebrows with so-called ‘Macarena’ rotating rear wings this season, with the designs of Audi and Alpine also catching the eye. As reported by PlanetF1.com last week, active aero will not be available in Monaco this weekend due to safety concerns. It marks the first time since active aero’s predecessor, DRS, was introduced in 2011 that moveable wings will not be made available for an entire race weekend. Preview: Monaco Grand Prix The tight and twisty nature of the street circuit means Monaco has the highest downforce requirements of any circuit on the F1 2026 calendar. And Mercedes and Red Bull (below) have arrived in Monte Carlo with eye-catching rear wing designs with extra winglets added to the activation pods. The changes appear to be related to the absence of active aero for Monaco, with the rear wings set to remain in a fixed position throughout this weekend. Red Bull's unusual rear wing in the garage in MonacoRed Bull’s rear wing for Monaco is described by Dr Obbs as similar but less extreme than the Mercedes PlanetF1.com’s tech expert Dr Obbs says: [Red Bull] kept [its] actuator pod. Merc abandoned the pod entirely. “The higher, the cleaner the incoming air. Less disturbed. “But the more upwash you can create around the rear wing, the harder you can drive it as well. “Because flow fields influence nearby flow fields, just like the rear wing actually helps to support the diffuser. “It’s all connected.” It is unclear at this stage if other teams have pursued a similar design to Mercedes and Red Bull for the Monaco Grand Prix. Mercedes introduced its first major upgrade package of the F1 2026 season at the last race in Canada, where Kimi Antonelli collected a fourth consecutive victory to extend his lead in the championship to 43 points. As reported by PlanetF1.com earlier this week, Antonelli warned that Mercedes is yet to see the “full benefit” of the upgrade due to the unusual demands and cooler conditions in Canada, warning that Monaco and Barcelona will allow the team to gain a fuller understanding. Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists. You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
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