Overview
- Multiple teams introduced bespoke winglets in the rear‑wing actuator area on Thursday as the Straight Mode actuator is not used in Monaco, freeing that regulated space for passive aero parts.
- Red Bull drew early attention with two small flaps on the actuator housing and Mercedes followed with a much denser cascade of stacked winglets and Gurney flaps around the central pylon.
- The parts aim to add direct downforce and create upwash into the diffuser so the underbody sees more suction, a trade that is acceptable at Monaco because its straights are very short and top speed is less important.
- Teams will validate the designs in practice on Friday by measuring lap time, balance and driver feedback before deciding whether to run the parts in sessions or remove them.
- This episode highlights how a Monaco‑only rule window can open a design opportunity: the actuator box is a fixed regulatory volume that teams can repurpose when active aero is disabled.