Red Bull makes Belgian GP rear wing decision after ‘super dangerous’ Verstappen incidents

Red Bull has reverted to a previous-specification rear wing design for the Belgian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen’s recent accidents in Austria and Britain.

Red Bull introduced a significant upgrade for its home race, the Austrian Grand Prix, last month.

Red Bull reverts to previous rear wing for Belgian Grand Prix

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The Spielberg event saw Verstappen suffer a dramatic crash in the closing stages of qualifying, with Red Bull later admitting his loss of control had been caused by an issue with the rear wing.

Verstappen also spun out of the British Grand Prix following a similar problem, caused by aerodynamic disruption as the rear wing switched from straight mode to cornering mode under the new active aero system for 2026.

PlanetF1.com has learned that Red Bull has reverted to its old rear wing design for the Belgian Grand Prix, with images emerging from the pit lane on Thursday (below).

It is understood that the previous-spec rear wing for Spa is not equipped with the so-called ‘Macarena’ effect used by Red Bull since Miami in early May.

Verstappen cut a frustrated figure after suffering his second rear wing fault in as many weekends at Silverstone, branding the situation “super dangerous.”

He told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets: “Like Austria, a different fault but the same outcome.

“So again, while turning into the corner, the rear wing is not fully attaching and you lose a lot of downforce for that.

“At that point, it’s super dangerous because you can really hurt yourself two times.

“I was lucky in Austria, I was lucky here, but that’s why you get really fed up with it.”

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As reported by PlanetF1.com on Tuesday, five straight mode zones – the most since the opening round of the F1 2026 season in Australia – will be in place at Spa this weekend, with one located on the approach to the famous Eau Rouge corner.

The first SM zone will be located on the start/finish straight as in the previous DRS era.

The second is positioned on the downhill run between the La Source hairpin and Eau Rouge, with SM unavailable through Eau Rouge/Radillon itself.

The third will see drivers reopen the front and rear wings on the Kemmel straight leading to Les Combes, again like in the DRS era.

The fourth zone is located on the exit of Stavelot before SM must be deactivated on the approach to the fast left-hander of Blanchimont.

The final zone is positioned between the exit of Blanchimont and the Bus Stop chicane.

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