First McLaren and Williams upgrade details revealed but Audi top chart with 14 updates

McLaren and Williams may have grabbed the headlines, but Audi brought the biggest upgrade package to Baku with 14 new parts for its R26.

While five teams, including Ferrari, did not bring a single new part to the Azerbaijan Grand, the other six more than made up for it.

McLaren, Williams and Audi upgrades explained

Reigning world champions McLaren brought eight upgrades to the Baku race, all but one performance-related.

The team revised the sidepod inlet shape, the engine cover, the floor edge, the diffuser, the rear suspension and the rear wing.

All six new parts work in conjunction to improve the flow conditioning of the MCL40.

The latter saw the team alter the Straight Line Mode flap position, with the FIA submission explaining that it was “modified to deploy the flap to an alternative position in Straight Line Mode, resulting in a larger reduction in drag.”

McLaren is chasing Ferrari for second place in the Constructors’ Championship, with two teams separated by 52 points.

Williams also focused on performance-related updates, with Baku representing the final step in what team principal James Vowles had described as an “almost entirely new car”.

The FW48 has been fitted with an updated floor, the team changing the leading edge, the floor body and the floor corner. Williams explained in the FIA notes: “We have modified the forward and outboard regions of the floor to extract more performance both locally and across the main underfloor surfaces.”

The tail geometry has been updated to work together with the new floor, while the FW48 also has a new front corner, a change to its suspension cladding, and the rear brake duct furniture has been modified.

Alex Albon was asked about the upgrades during Wednesday’s FIA press conference. He said: “They’re significant if they work, so let’s see how it goes. We have to be honest with ourselves, we know what it should do on paper.

“I think the weight’s been a big talking point, and normally weight’s a guarantee, so hopefully it’s going to put us in a good place.

“The team have done a massive job back at the factory. To do a chassis change in the middle of a season is not easy, and so it’s putting us in a good place. Whether that’s to fight the midfield now, time will tell.”

But while both teams’ updates are significant, it is Audi who topped the count with 14 new parts.

F1 2026: The season’s winners and losers

The results of the F1 2026 championship

The F1 2026 Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

Audi’s new parts are all performance-related. The team has changed the front wing, its endplate and the R26’s nose, while the front and rear suspension, engine cover and Halo have been reprofiled. The rear wing has been completely changed, including the beam and endplate, and there’s also a new floor.

It is effectively a B-spec R26.

Gabriel Bortoleto said the updates “should make a difference”, while Nico Hülkenberg believes their full potential may become clearer in Malaysia and Singapore.

As for the other teams, Red Bull has brought five parts, including a new floor body and sidepod with a revised split line to the floor, Racing Bulls has focused on the front of the car with a new front wing, front corner and front suspension, while Cadillac has a new front suspension and diffuser.

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