While Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull continue to develop their F1s, Ferrari made a radical choice before the Belgian GP: to bring no updates.
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At a time when every tenth counts in the fight for the championship, Ferrari has made a decision that does not go unnoticed.
According to the technical documents published Friday by the FIA, Scuderia is, along with Aston Martin, the only team not to declare any updates for the Belgian Grand Prix. A situation rare enough this season to be highlighted, while its main rivals continue to refine their cars.
In total, the ten teams have homologated 21 updates for Spa-Francorchamps, a large part of which concerns configurations specific to the Belgian track, characterized by its long straights. But several updates are also part of longer-term development programs.
Mercedes continues the development of the W17
Among the leading teams, Mercedes is the most active with three updates.
The first concerns a new rear wing with lower angle of attack, specifically designed to reduce downforce and drag at Spa.
More interesting is the modification made to the fins located around the rear brake drums, whose position and span have been revised to widen their aerodynamic efficiency window.
Finally, the Brackley team introduces a new front wing endplate.
The upper part of this vertical fin has more curvature, aiming to improve the conditioning of flows towards the rear of the car and increase the front wing’s performance over a wider operating range.
McLaren refines its rear wing
Championship leader, McLaren is also not slowing down.
The British team brings two updates focused on the rear wing.
The first is a modification of the endplate intended to improve airflow guidance. The second is a new rear wing assembly specific to Spa, designed to effectively reduce drag while maintaining the necessary performance in the more winding sections of the circuit.
These updates confirm that, despite its reference status, the MCL40 continues to be regularly developed.
Only one update at Red Bull
Red Bull arrives at Spa with a much more limited program.
Developing at the same pace as Ferrari, the Milton Keynes team declared only one update, concerning the pylons that connect the rear wing to the gearbox.
The FIA specifies that these profiles have been revised to extract more downforce while preserving flow stability, a point that has become particularly sensitive with the 2026 regulations, which now require contact between the pylons and the underside of the main wing element.
Haas unveils the most spectacular update
Outside the leading teams, it is probably Haas that attracts the most attention.
The American team, powered by Ferrari, presents a new front wing including new profiles, a new pylon geometry as well as a redesigned endplate.
In the first images of the weekend, this update stands out by a particularly original architecture at the junction between the nose and the wing pylons, a solution unlike any other currently visible on the grid.
Haas completes this package with a Spa-specific front deflector and a lower downforce beam wing.
Alpine, Cadillac and Racing Bulls complete the picture
Among other notable updates, Alpine introduces a redesigned halo integrating a small deflector intended to improve flows towards the rear of the car.
Cadillac evolves the tip of its front wing to increase the load generated on the front part of the floor, while Racing Bulls presents the most extensive package in the midfield with four updates, including a new engine cover, a redesigned roll hoop air intake and a new rear wing aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency.
As often, not all updates will have the same effect on track. Some respond only to the aerodynamic requirements of Spa-Francorchamps, while others are part of the long-term development of the cars.
Friday’s running allowed to measure which ones bring a real performance gain… and whether Ferrari was right not to change its SF-26.
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