2025 F1 development recap: McLaren leads, Red Bull fights back, Ferrari splits focus

Update recap: McLaren and Red Bull aggressive, Ferrari on two fronts

With only seven races left in the current technical cycle, aerodynamic development of ground-effect cars has essentially reached its end. Yet the summer of 2025 still delivered several key upgrades, with McLaren establishing itself as the leader in development, closely followed by Red Bull. Meanwhile, both Mercedes and Ferrari invested heavily in their rear suspensions, although with very different results.

Red Bull responds to McLaren

McLaren began the season with a strong package and continued to build momentum through a series of staged updates. Rather than releasing a single major upgrade, the team spread developments across several races, ensuring constant progress without too much media hype. In Austria, the MCL39 used for the first time the new front wing introduced in Canada. At Silverstone, the car received new suspension fairings and, most importantly, an upgraded floor. Spa and Monza then saw the debut of medium- and low-downforce rear wings, aiming to boost efficiency at high-speed circuits — a traditional weakness in previous seasons.

Red Bull also put considerable effort into upgrades. The floor received the largest share of resources, with a two-stage update between Austria and the United Kingdom, followed by another version at Monza, where Max Verstappen claimed victory. In Belgium, the reigning champions brought a wide-ranging package that included a new front wing, suspension fairings, and revised bodywork. One of the standout innovations, however, was the low-downforce rear wing introduced at Silverstone, solving a persistent weakness from past campaigns.

The battle for second place

Ferrari chose to split its resources across two fronts. On the aerodynamic side, the Scuderia updated its floor at the Austrian Grand Prix. At the same time, work was done on the mechanical platform. Spa marked the debut of Ferrari’s new rear suspension, designed to stabilize ride heights and extract greater aerodynamic load from the floor. Other notable changes included new front brake ducts introduced at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix — a first under Frédéric Vasseur’s management.

Mercedes also unveiled a new rear suspension, debuting at Imola. However, by the Hungarian Grand Prix the Brackley squad was forced to abandon it due to instability issues. Still, the W16 received other updates, including revised brake cooling ducts, a new front wing at Spa, and a floor update at Monza. Below is the complete recap of all updates introduced by each team since the start of the 2025 season.

McLaren

Australia: front brake cooling ducts
China: rear wheel fairings
Japan: /
Bahrain: front wheel deflectors
Saudi Arabia: diffuser and rear wheel fairings
Miami: /
Imola: rear brake ducts, rear suspension arm fairings, rear wing, beam wing, front suspension modifications
Monaco: rear wing, beam wing, front suspension modifications, larger front brake ducts
Spain: /
Canada: front wing, rear wing, front suspension modifications
Austria: front suspension fairings, front and rear brake ducts
Silverstone: floor, rear brake ducts
Spa: rear wing
Hungary: /
Zandvoort: /
Monza: rear wing, beam wing, front wing flap, front suspension fairings
Baku: /

Ferrari

Australia: /
China: /
Japan: /
Bahrain: floor, diffuser, rear wing pillar
Saudi Arabia: rear wing, beam wing, DRS flap
Miami: /
Imola: rear brake ducts, rear wing and beam wing
Monaco: front suspension modifications, larger front brake ducts, beam wing, rear wing
Spain: front wing, rear wing
Canada: /
Austria: floor and diffuser
Silverstone: /
Spa: rear suspension, rear wheel aerodynamics, rear wing flap
Hungary: /
Zandvoort: /
Monza: rear wing, beam wing, front wing flap
Baku: front brake ducts

Red Bull

Australia: front wing, floor (already tested in preseason)
China: /
Japan: engine cover, rear brake cooling, rear suspension arm fairings
Bahrain: front wing flap, engine cover cooling grilles
Saudi Arabia: engine cover, beam wing
Miami: floor
Imola: side radiator inlets, rear brake ducts, rear suspension arm fairings
Monaco: rear wing, beam wing, front suspension modifications, larger front brake ducts
Spain: front wing
Canada: /
Austria: floor
Silverstone: floor, rear wing
Spa: front wing, front suspension fairings, side radiator inlets, bodywork, rear wheel aerodynamics
Hungary: front wing flap, front brake ducts
Zandvoort: front wing flap
Monza: floor, front wing flap
Baku: rear wheel aerodynamics

Mercedes

Australia: /
China: /
Japan: /
Bahrain: /
Saudi Arabia: /
Miami: rear wing flap
Imola: front suspension arm fairings, front wing, engine cover, new rear suspension
Monaco: /
Spain: floor, rear wing
Canada: floor, larger front brake ducts
Austria: front brake ducts, engine cover cooling outlets
Silverstone: /
Spa: front wing, rear wheel aerodynamics
Hungary: /
Zandvoort: /
Monza: floor, front wing flap, rear wing endplate
Baku: front wing flap

Aston Martin

Australia: /
China: /
Japan: /
Bahrain: /
Saudi Arabia: rear wing DRS flap
Miami: rear wing, beam wing, front wing flap
Imola: floor, diffuser, bodywork, halo aerodynamics, beam wing
Monaco: rear wing, front wing flap, larger rear brake ducts
Spain: front wing
Canada: larger front brake ducts
Austria: /
Silverstone: floor, bodywork
Spa: front wing, rear wing, beam wing
Hungary: front wing flap
Zandvoort: /
Monza: rear wing flap
Baku: /

Alpine

Australia: /
China: /
Japan: /
Bahrain: /
Saudi Arabia: /
Miami: front brake ducts, front suspension arm fairings
Imola: front wing, engine cover
Monaco: front suspension modifications, rear wing, beam wing
Spain: floor
Canada: front wing flap
Austria: /
Silverstone: /
Spa: rear wing, beam wing
Hungary: /
Zandvoort: rear brake ducts, rear wheel aerodynamics
Monza: /
Baku: /

Haas

Australia: /
China: /
Japan: floor modifications
Bahrain: engine cover
Saudi Arabia: dual 2024-style rear wing, front wing flap
Miami: /
Imola: floor, diffuser, rear brake ducts, rear suspension arm fairings
Monaco: front suspension modifications, rear wing, beam wing
Spain: front wing
Canada: /
Austria: /
Silverstone: floor, side radiator inlets
Spa: /
Hungary: /
Zandvoort: /
Monza: front wing flap
Baku: /

Racing Bulls

Australia: /
China: high-load beam wing
Japan: /
Bahrain: /
Saudi Arabia: rear wing, beam wing, front wing flap
Miami: /
Imola: floor, bodywork
Monaco: rear wing, beam wing, larger front brake ducts
Spain: front wing
Canada: front wing flap, rear wing endplate
Austria: rear wing, front wing flap
Silverstone: front wing flap
Spa: diffuser, rear wing, rear wheel aerodynamics
Hungary: front brake ducts, bodywork cooling outlets
Zandvoort: /
Monza: floor, mirrors, bodywork, rear wing
Baku: front and rear brake ducts

Williams

Australia: /
China: beam wing
Japan: front wing flap and endplate
Bahrain: /
Saudi Arabia: /
Miami: beam wing
Imola: /
Monaco: front suspension modifications, larger front brake ducts, rear wing, beam wing
Spain: front wing, rear brake ducts, cooling grilles
Canada: /
Austria: /
Silverstone: floor flow conditioners
Spa: floor, side radiator inlets, bodywork
Hungary: /
Zandvoort: /
Monza: front wing flap, rear wing flap
Baku: /