AUSTIN, Texas — The 2026 Formula 1 Season Progresses
The 2026 Formula 1 season might be approaching its end, but the race for development continues relentlessly.
Several teams have introduced upgrade packages for the 2026 United States Grand Prix, with prominent names like McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull leading the charge. During the FIA Car Presentation Submissions on Friday, these three teams, alongside Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, Audi, Alpine, and Cadillac, showcased their new components for the weekend.
Ferrari has brought a considerable upgrade package to the Circuit of the Americas, which includes changes to the floor body, floor board, sidepod inlets, and the diffuser. These elements are meant to enhance performance, particularly by “increasing floor downforce (on both front and rear parts) while also improving energy levels and flow stability directed towards the car’s rear,” as stated in the team’s Car Presentation.
They also mentioned that the upgraded diffuser is expected to “return increased aerodynamic load in an efficient way.”
In a media chat, including representatives from SB Nation, Charles Leclerc labeled the upgrades as “a small step in the right direction,” but he tempered expectations by adding that he didn’t foresee any “hugely significant” improvements.
As for McLaren, their upgrades span the front and rear corners of the MCL40, featuring a new diffuser design. The adjustments to the corners involve revisions to both the front corner scoop and rear corner furniture, aimed at enhancing flow conditioning.
The improved diffuser geometry on the MCL40 seeks to bolster flow conditioning and local load across varying speeds.
Lando Norris, in a conversation with the press on Thursday, also expressed some caution about the team’s upgrades. He noted, “Upgrades are not always just, you put them on and things work, and they’re not always easy to get the full potential out of. I think we’ve had a car that has been, well, still so, so difficult to drive,” reflecting a pragmatic view on the challenges ahead.
Cadillac, further down the grid, also brought two upgraded components to Austin: new floor fences and cooling louvres, both aimed at enhancing performance. The floor fences specifically aim to “improve flow conditioning to the rear of the car and reduce sensitivity to changes in car attitude while retaining overall aerodynamic load.”
With Colton Herta set to drive in FP1, the team equipped his car with an aero rake to gather as much data as possible about how the upgraded MAC-26 performs around the Circuit of the Americas.
