McLaren Canada Upgrade Omits Rumored Macarena Wing

McLaren has confirmed a major upgrade package for the Canadian Grand Prix, but its official submission shows the team is not debuting the much-rumored Ferrari-style “Macarena” rear wing in Montreal.

Instead, the headline rear-wing change on the MCL40 is a revised endplate update aimed at changing load distribution and increasing local aerodynamic load, part of a broader package that McLaren says covers the floor, chassis, front and rear wings, bodywork, halo and roll hoop.

That matters because pre-event speculation had centered on McLaren introducing its own take on the rear-wing concept that first drew attention on Ferrari’s SF-26. The idea, built around a fully adjustable flap, became a paddock talking point after Ferrari’s version appeared and Red Bull followed with its own interpretation in Miami. McLaren had been linked to the same direction after focusing its Miami changes on other areas of the car.

Ahead of the weekend, McLaren said the Canada package was the planned next step in the development push it began in Florida. In a team statement ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, McLaren said, “As established at the beginning of the season, Miami served as the first big step in our plan to add performance to the MCL40.” It added, “This continues this weekend in Montreal, with a number of new components across the floor, chassis, front and rear wings, bodywork, halo and roll hoop.”

The significance of the official documents is that they point to a more conventional rear-wing revision than many expected. McLaren has still arrived with seven areas of change on the car, so Canada remains an important part of its development campaign, but the anticipated Macarena-style rear wing is not listed among them.

That leaves the real test unchanged: whether McLaren’s wider package can cut into the gap to Mercedes without the eye-catching rear-wing concept it had been linked with. Andrea Stella had said Mercedes held a two-tenths-per-lap advantage in Miami, and with Mercedes bringing its first major upgrade package of the season to Canada as well, McLaren’s gains in Montreal will matter immediately in the fight at the front.