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The first design that used aerodynamics other than body streamlining did not appear until the 1960s. By then it was recognized how an increase in downforce would provide more grip to the track and hence more speed. This idea was technically developed by Chevrolet- Chaparral in 1966 with their Can-Am racing car. The engineers mounted an inverted wing on two vertical struts above the rear axial. The wing could be pitched during racing to provide the optimal value of downforce.
These ideas were developed quickly, and a few years later several Formula 1 teams mounted inverted wings on the rear axial, combined with a smaller front wing.