The rotating rear-wing concept has been used selectively since making its competitive debut at Monza last weekend.
McLaren developed its own interpretation after Ferrari pioneered the idea during winter testing, with the mechanism allowing the rear wing to turn 180 degrees between Corner Mode and Straight Mode to cut drag on the straights.
The system was first trialled in practice at the Hungarian Grand Prix following a delayed rollout, before undergoing further testing at Zandvoort. Its first race outing at Monza delivered the intended reduction in drag.
McLaren’s decision to omit the H-Wing in Madrid is largely linked to its current production strategy. The mechanism is presently available only on the team’s low-drag wing, while the newer Zandvoort-specification rear wing features sculpted endplates but does not incorporate the rotating technology.
With Madring being a 5.4km, high-downforce venue, McLaren opted against manufacturing a higher-downforce version with the system for this weekend. The team instead plans to produce a future high-downforce wing with the actuator integrated from the beginning.
Lando Norris enters the event seeking a third consecutive victory after wins in Hungary and Zandvoort.
