Ferrari rush new SF-26 floor upgrade for Zandvoort return
Ferrari accelerate SF-26 development ahead of Zandvoort
Ferrari are set to introduce a new floor upgrade for the SF-26 at Zandvoort after identifying key issues in a comparison of data from the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone.
The Formula 1 paddock will regroup next week following the summer break for what is expected to be the final Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort for the foreseeable future. The circuit returned to the calendar in 2021, but its deal with F1 expires after the chequered flag.
For Ferrari, the restart carries immediate championship significance. Lewis Hamilton is 50 points behind Mercedes rival Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the top of the driversâ standings, while Charles Leclerc sits 81 points adrift of the teenage Italian, who has scored 219 points after 11 rounds.
Floor production brought forward
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari rushed approval and production of the revised floor so it could be ready for the Dutch Grand Prix. The component is described as a direct evolution of the floor introduced at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in round seven.
The Scuderiaâs objective is to increase the downforce generated by the SF-26âs floor. Ferrari reportedly believes its data comparison between Austria and Britain exposed critical issues that must be eliminated to avoid another performance setback at the Red Bull Ring.
The team had not planned to develop another floor before the Austrian Grand Prix. However, it quickly approved the project after comparing its Red Bull Ring data with the figures gathered at Silverstone the following week. The contrasting nature of the two circuits helped Ferrari identify where it could improve its understanding of the car.
Ferrari needed to begin manufacturing the parts before the summer shutdown. The Gestione Sportiva closed from August 3 to 16 to fulfil Formula 1âs mandatory two-week break, with operations due to resume next Monday.
Ferrariâs upgrade package faces a demanding test
Hamilton and Leclerc are also due to receive Ferrariâs engine upgrade at Monza in round 13. The improvement is reportedly worth 0.2 seconds per lap and 15 horsepower, making the Zandvoort floor an important earlier test of the teamâs recovery plan. More detail on that power-unit development is available in Ferrariâs Monza engine upgrade plans.
The impact of the new floor remains uncertain. Ferrariâs strengths were expected to suit Zandvoort, yet similar confidence preceded the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Leclerc fell from second on the grid to fourth and finished 23.840 seconds behind Lando Norris.
Austria was another warning: Leclerc qualified second and Hamilton third, but Leclerc finished eighth, 45.659 seconds off the lead, while Hamilton took fifth. Silverstone offered the counterpoint, with Hamilton taking Sprint pole and Leclerc winning the British Grand Prix. Zandvoort will reveal whether Ferrariâs accelerated development can deliver a more consistent SF-26.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.