Ferrari, how many updates: how the SF-26 changes

Ferrari presents itself in Miami with a package of updates as rich as it is interesting. The Scuderia from Maranello has worked intensely, bringing forward some of the changes planned for Canada to integrate them with those initially planned for Bahrain. The result is a profoundly evolved SF-26 from front to rear, with great attention to detail that speaks of the desire to develop the project as a whole and not in watertight compartments. The front The changes begin at the front, with Ferrari having corrected the structure of the flows around the car along its entire length. The front wing features a modification to the curb, external structure to the endplate vertical bulkhead. A flow diverter makes its appearance above the side channel, also renewed, with the aim of increasing the outwash effect, diverting the flows outside the front wheels. The wheel units themselves are equipped with some modifications to the aerodynamic elements, while in the same area the team has also worked on the fairings of the suspension arms. Note how the rear arm of the upper triangle is anchored to the same point as in the first three races, with the team abandoning the configuration tested in the tests in Bahrain, when a different inclination was evaluated. Overall, however, Ferrari has intervened in various areas of the front end, with the aim of both mitigating turbulence from the front wheels and better channeling the flows towards the rear. The bottom Other significant updates concern the bottom, which has evolved 360° and in symbiosis with the changes to the front. The central keel under the chassis is longer, probably to better control the flows channeled under the car. The entrance section of the floor has also changed, including the vertical elements with which the teams have already started to play around. The most eye-catching innovations concern the external bargeboard, divided into three vertical bulkheads that help shield the bottom from the turbulence of the front wheels. Moving your gaze to the rearmost part of the floor, you notice an elaboration, as well as a widening, of the lateral cracks, trying to inject more energy under the car, as well as controlling the vortices generated by the rear wheels. The updates also affect the diffuser, which is particularly important on the current generation of cars. Ferrari has worked on the volumes of the ramp, but even more visible is the work on the vertical strips, now curled in the lower part. Furthermore, two small external bulkheads make their appearance, which effectively widen the outlet section of the diffuser, intensifying the extraction of the flows to the advantage of the load released from the bottom. The evolved Macarena and FTM Ferrari paid great attention to the rear axle, retouching the fairings of the rear suspension arms. What stands out, however, is the complexity achieved by the aerodynamic structure surrounding the transmission. The beam wing (in yellow) is different, effectively bisecting the elongations at the top of the speaker (in blue), with a reversal of curvature for the upper element. The FTM is also completely new, the flap at the exit of the exhaust terminal (in orange), which has now become a real cage. The competition began to replicate Ferrari’s solution, which however continued to develop the solution that uses hot gases for aerodynamic purposes, reaching a notable level of sophistication. Finally, the new Macarena makes its debut, the inverted mobile wing, already seen in action at the filming day in Monza. Compared to the initial version, in Maranello they modified the actuator embedded inside the endplate, also strengthening the central pylons and adding a small element at the top of the mobile flaps, whose function is not yet clear. Furthermore, in Miami we can now appreciate a novelty that was missed during the test in Italy. These are the veins obtained on the outside of the endplates, curved upwards along the lines of what was used to be done with ground effect cars. Overall, due to the abundance and care of the changes proposed, the one in Miami represents the most interesting package of updates that Ferrari has churned out in recent years. This observation, however, is not a guarantee of success on the track, even more so given the developments of the competition. In any case, seeing some solutions from the SF-26 make their appearance on the opposing cars is a small satisfaction for the Scuderia from Maranello.

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News
2026-05-02 04:30:00