Ferrari has been putting in the work behind the scenes. The Scuderia conducted a filming day at Monza to validate an updated aerodynamic specification for the SF-26, with the package now earmarked for competitive introduction at the Miami Grand Prix following the disruption caused by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds.
The ‘Macarena’ Wing Makes Its Debut
Ferrari’s aerodynamic development program has taken on an evocative name for its latest creation. The updated wing component, referred to internally as the ‘Macarena’ wing, was put through its paces at Monza during a controlled filming day, giving the team’s engineers a chance to gather real-world data before committing the part to race conditions.
Filming days operate under strict FIA regulations that cap the distance a car can cover, but they serve a critical function in a modern F1 operation. Rather than relying solely on wind tunnel correlation and simulator data, teams use these limited sessions to validate how new components behave on track and whether they perform in line with design expectations. For Ferrari, Monza’s long straights and high-speed characteristics made it a logical choice to assess the aerodynamic behavior of the new wing specification.
Calendar Chaos Forces a Development Rethink
The backdrop to this activity is a 2025 Formula 1 season that has already been reshaped by events far beyond the sport’s control. The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, in the wake of the Iran conflict, removed two early-season opportunities that Ferrari and several other teams had targeted for upgrade introductions. The Middle Eastern rounds have historically offered valuable mileage early in the year, and losing them has forced a collective reshuffling of development calendars across the paddock.
For Ferrari, the Miami Grand Prix has now emerged as the new staging post for the SF-26 upgrade package that was originally planned for those cancelled rounds. Miami represents one of the most high-profile events on the calendar, drawing significant commercial and media attention, and arriving there with a meaningfully updated car would send a strong signal about the team’s development trajectory heading into the European season.
What the SF-26 Upgrade Package Could Mean
Ferrari’s upgrade push at Miami is reported to be a substantial one rather than a minor iteration. The SF-26 has shown flashes of genuine pace in 2025, but consistent performance across all circuit types has remained a work in progress. An aerodynamic step forward, particularly one that has been carefully validated through a dedicated filming day, has the potential to close any gaps to the frontrunners or consolidate the team’s position depending on where the development balance currently sits.
The Macarena wing, whatever its specific design characteristics, fits into a broader pattern of Ferrari pushing hard on aero development this season. The team has invested heavily in understanding the SF-26’s behavior across different downforce levels, and new wing specifications play a central role in expanding that operating window. Getting meaningful track data at Monza before Miami means the engineers arrive in Florida with greater confidence in what the updated package can deliver.
It is also worth noting that Ferrari is not alone in having its plans disrupted by the calendar changes. Multiple teams across the grid have had to adapt their upgrade schedules, meaning the competitive picture in Miami could look quite different from what was anticipated before the season began. Ferrari’s proactive use of the Monza filming day suggests the team is determined to arrive at one of the season’s marquee events fully prepared.
Monza as a Testing Ground
The choice of Monza for the filming day was a deliberate one. The Temple of Speed provides an aerodynamic environment that demands efficient drag reduction and stable high-speed behavior, characteristics that are directly relevant to evaluating wing performance. Data gathered at Monza correlates well to the kind of aerodynamic feedback that can inform setup decisions and development priorities heading into circuits with very different demands.
Filming days have become an increasingly important tool in the F1 development arsenal precisely because of how tightly regulated pre-season and in-season testing has become. Teams must extract maximum value from every limited running opportunity, and Ferrari’s structured approach at Monza reflects a well-organized engineering operation working methodically through its development program despite the external disruptions the season has thrown up.
Ferrari’s Monza filming day may not have produced lap times for the headlines, but the work done there could prove meaningful when the lights go out in Miami. With the Macarena wing validated and a broader SF-26 upgrade package ready to be introduced, the Scuderia heads to Florida with clear intent. In a season already defined by unpredictability, Ferrari is doing everything it can to control the controllables and ensure that when the opportunity for a step forward arrives, it is ready to take it.