Red Bull will return to a conventional rear wing for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix after technical issues with its experimental design contributed to two high-speed incidents involving Max Verstappen.
Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the change after tests carried out following the British Grand Prix revealed a fault with the innovative wing. The team will now use a more traditional drag reduction system (DRS) configuration at Spa-Francorchamps.
Red Bull and Ferrari have both experimented this season with a rear wing featuring a top flap that rotates more than 180 degrees when DRS is activated. The concept was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag more effectively, boosting straight-line speed compared with conventional systems.
However, Verstappen’s crashes during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix and later in the British Grand Prix exposed a critical weakness. The issue occurred as the wing transitioned from its low-drag configuration back to its normal cornering position before high-speed turns.
According to reports, the problem stemmed from airflow failing to reattach quickly enough as the wing closed, temporarily reducing rear downforce. That sudden loss of grip is believed to have caused Verstappen’s spins.
The four-time world champion described the situation after Silverstone as “super-dangerous,” saying he was fortunate to avoid more serious consequences in both incidents.
Mekies declined to discuss the precise technical cause but confirmed the team had identified the problem during post-race testing. Red Bull also completed a filming day at Silverstone last week, which helped validate its decision to abandon the experimental setup for now.
While Verstappen’s teammate Isack Hadjar did not encounter the same issue, Red Bull hopes the advanced rear wing can return later in the season once the underlying problem has been fully resolved.
Heading into the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen said he was unsure how competitive Red Bull would be, preferring to wait until practice before making any predictions. Spa remains one of his strongest circuits, where he has claimed multiple Formula 1 victories.