Ferrari and Red Bull have detailed changes to their floors at this weekend’s Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix, while McLaren is introducing a tweaked front suspension.
Ferrari appears to have made the most substantial changes for the Austria round, making revisions to the floor edge, fences and body, while also tweaking the diffuser to work in unison with the upgraded floor, which is the biggest aerodynamic performance differentiator on this generation of cars.
Detailing the changes, Ferrari said: “Not event specific, this floor package features updated front floor fences targeting an enhanced vorticity released downstream. The reshaped boat and tunnel expansion have been subsequently re-optimised, together with the floor edge loading and diffuser volume distribution, leading to an overall load gain across the car operating envelope.”
On Thursday Lewis Hamilton played down just how much of a game changer the all-new floor will be: “We really don’t know the actual effect that it’s going to have, it’s not the normal information we’re getting of how much load you added to the car, that’s not necessarily clear.
“Hopefully it will be a step in the right direction, but I don’t think we’re expecting it to change a huge amount. But fingers crossed it’s better than we hope.”
Red Bull has also brought a new floor as its 2026 upgrade cycle is nearing its conclusion, although its update has turned out to be more limited in scope. The Milton Keynes squad has changed the edge wing on its floor, ahead of the rear tyres.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images
“A new edge wing is being deployed intended to maintain the established flow stability and improve the load extracted from this region of the floor,” the team stated in the FIA’s documents.
McLaren has made changes to the geometry of its front suspension, and it has also reworked the aerodynamic devises on both its front and rear corners of the car to work together with its recent suspension tweaks.
Mercedes’ aero updates are limited to increasing cooling capacity, enlarging its brake ducts and engine cover exit. The latter should help drive airflow through its sidepod radiators.
The remaining two teams to submit upgrades are Racing Bulls, which has revised its front wing flap and rear wing profile, and Sauber which has also brought a new rear wing assembly that intends to use at higher downforce circuits throughout the season. Sauber has also brought a revised floor, with changes to the floor edge and diffuser.
In this article
Filip Cleeren
Formula 1
Ferrari
Red Bull Racing
McLaren
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