Here's the thing about Ferrari: whatever trouble they run into on the track, their design office never stops moving. As Crash.net reports, the team has delivered a significant new upgrade package for this weekend's United States Grand Prix as they desperately try to close the gap to Mercedes in these final rounds of the 2026 season. Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz has pulled back the curtain on this machine, calling the update quite impressive.
So, what actually changed on the SF-26? The squad from Maranello has bolted on an updated board brace layout alongside a completely redesigned front floor leading edge. They did not stop there, reworking both the inboard vertical and horizontal board elements while reshaping the sidepod inlet and undercut. To finish it off, a revised diffuser rounds out the package deployed in Austin.
We have a very, very small upgrade this weekend. It's less than a tenth. It's like half a tenth,
Kravitz highlighted two crucial areas in the floor and the diffuser, pointing out a fascinating addition the team is calling the "snowplough". It acts almost like an extra claw or bulldozer plough, reaching out to grab the air and shove it straight underneath the floor so the diffuser can go to work. According to Ferrari, that revised diffuser boasts a larger volume, unlocking more aero load alongside more efficient downforce.
This package serves as the completion of a development path that started back in Madrid, marking their final chassis upgrade of the year. Charles Leclerc is running the new parts during FP1 at COTA, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton sticks to the old specification to gather direct comparison data.
Despite the hefty changes, the drivers themselves kept expectations grounded when talking to the media on Thursday. Hamilton downplayed the significance of the new parts entirely.
"We have a very, very small upgrade this weekend. It's less than a tenth. It's like half a tenth," seven-time world champion Hamilton said. "So, I don't think that propels us forward enough to necessarily challenge that deficit. But maybe the track suits our car, and maybe they'll have a one-off weekend. Maybe Mercedes will have an off weekend again, and we'll be right there to take it."
