Ferrari update plan continues in force but Alpine tops Zandvoort upgrades

ZANDVOORT – The update list for the Dutch Grand Prix is in with Alpine introducing a significant package while Ferrari continues to bring improvements.

While the summer shutdown prevented work for two weeks, teams have nonetheless managed to deliver improvements ahead of the first race back in Zandvoort.

Changes made for Dutch Grand Prix

McLaren

Three changes for the reigning Constructors’ champion focused on the rear of the car.

A new rear wing assembly has been designed and delivered, aiming to increase aerodynamic load efficiently. Meanwhile, a revised engine cover and tailpipe will extract additional efficient aerodynamic performance in conjunction with the rear wing.

The rear brake duct has been revised with the aim of improving flow conditioning and resulting in better aerodynamic and brake cooling performance.

Mercedes

Mercedes’ sole change comes on the front corner with the drum front lip detached from the duct inlet and camber adjusted. The team says this will improve flow quality over the inboard face of the drum throughout the steer range, improving flow to the rear of the car.

Red Bull

Red Bull has made one change with reliability in mind. To improve it, the Milton Keynes team has shrunk the lower wishbone rearward leg chord length to reduce strain on the gaiter at high steering angles.

Ferrari

Ferrari’s intense upgrade plan continues with five changes coming to the SF-26.

Three of them are focused on the floor with an update to the body, board and edge. Ferrari says this targets an increase in aerodynamic load combined with improved robustness of the underlying flow mechanisms, enhanced flow topology, and greater flow energy delivered to the rear diffuser.

A change also comes on the diffuser with a revised expansion profile which the team says has been further optimised and returns increased aerodynamic load, whilst still maintaining flow stability.

The final change is on the beam wing which Ferrari says is a “minor update” to work with the new rear diffuser.

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Aston Martin

Aston have also brought a number of updates with three of them focused on the front wing.

They have a reduced chord of the final element outboard, a modification to the inboard foot and an optional new front wing flap. The first two changes improve the performance of the new front wing introduced at the previous event. The new flap extends the range of balance that can be achieved with front wing adjustment for car setup optimisation.

A new floor fence has been attached to the diffuser with an additional modification to the lower edge of the diffuser winglets. Aston says these will work in combination to increase rear load after evaluating the performance of the new package.

Alpine

Alpine tops the update charts with eight changes to the A526.

Three of them come on the floor with changes to the body, board and edge. The floor geometry has been revised to improve surface flow quality throughout the operating envelope and deliver increased local aerodynamic loading. The floor board has been reprofiled to improve the quality of the flow delivered to the rear of the car.

The floor edges and profiles were redesigned to increase local aerodynamic loading, enhancing airflow management, efficiency, and overall performance gains.

The diffuser has been reprofiled to increase local aerodynamic loading, providing an efficient performance gain across the full operating envelope of the car.

Additionally, as part of this package update, the bodywork has been redesigned to work efficiently alongside the new floor while maintaining sufficient cooling capacity.

Elements on the rear drum face have also been reprofiled to improve flow interaction with the floor and deliver local load.

There is an updated geometry to the rear impact structure which is aimed at increasing aerodynamic load locally and efficiently throughout the operating range of the car.

And finally, the rear wing has a redesigned flap geometry to efficiently increase rear wing load while maintaining a high-quality, stable flowfield.

Williams, Racing Bulls, Haas, Audi and Cadillac have all made no changes.

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