FIA launches safety probe into Red Bull and Ferrari rotating rear wings after Verstappen crashes

The FIA has opened a safety investigation into the rotating rear‑wing systems used by Red Bull and Ferrari after Max Verstappen suffered high‑speed crashes at the British Grand Prix and during Austrian Grand Prix qualifying. Verstappen reported that the wing failed to close properly in both incidents, describing the faults as different but producing the same loss of downforce.

The governing body will assess whether the devices meet the 2026 technical regulation that limits the wing‑position transition to 400 ms and is controlled by the FIA‑standard ECU. If deemed unsafe, the FIA can prohibit their use for the remainder of the season or longer. Red Bull has said it may revert to a conventional rear wing, while Ferrari, which has not reported its own incidents, is also under review.

Team principal Laurent Mekies pledged a thorough analysis, stating the team will leave “no stone unturned” to prevent a repeat. The outcome could affect the design of rear‑wing systems across the sport.