Ferrari commits further with new upgrades at Silverstone.
Ferrari is moving forward with additional upgrades for this weekend’s British GP, following a disappointing race performance in Austria after Lewis Hamilton's significant victory in Barcelona. The Scuderia is anticipated to unveil an updated low-downforce 'Macarena' rear wing at Silverstone, alongside a modified low-drag diffuser and possibly further adjustments to the exhaust system, as it continues to refine the 2026 package despite the budget cap constraints in Formula 1.
The steady influx of new components has left Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff puzzled. "We're a bit surprised that Ferrari can make such substantial upgrades to the car as they do," he remarked after the Austrian race. "Equal regulations for everyone... hopefully."
These new developments follow Ferrari's initial introduction of the first phase of its ADUO engine upgrade in Austria, but they still encountered significant difficulties on race day. The German publication Bild couldn't help but highlight the irony, noting that Ferrari had previously contested Mercedes’ controversial diffuser design before the weekend. "Ha, Ferrari!" it stated. "Mercedes wins. That's what they get."
"The Scuderia had lodged a complaint against Mercedes with the FIA, claiming the Silver Arrows’ diffuser was illegal." The governing body sided with the Italians, leading to modifications on the German team's cars. Still, Mercedes celebrated a double podium finish, while Ferrari could only secure fifth (Hamilton) and eighth (Leclerc).
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli expressed surprise at Ferrari's slow race pace for all the wrong reasons. "They were going really slowly and managing energy in an odd manner," he noted. "On the second lap, at Turn 1, I even nearly collided with Leclerc due to the speed difference. I was probably 30 kph faster than him."
World champion Lando Norris shared his surprise regarding Ferrari's lack of speed. "When you’re lacking power, you have to push extremely hard on both the straights and in the corners, and with these front tires, that’s not achievable," he commented. "It must have been a tough race for them," he added.
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