F1 British GP upgrades explained: Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and Williams reveal new parts

The Formula 1 teams have arrived at Silverstone with carefully targeted upgrade packages rather than major overhauls, all sharing a common objective: improving aerodynamic flow quality while increasing local downforce without sacrificing efficiency on the British circuit’s long, high-speed sections.

Ferrari, Red Bull, Haas and Racing Bulls have primarily concentrated on the rear of their cars, making changes to the rear corner, winglets, diffuser and bodywork surrounding the rear wheels to improve stability through Silverstone’s fast corners. McLaren has introduced updates to both the front corner and the floor, while Williams has developed a new front wing designed to improve balance and airflow interaction across the entire car.

The latest developments once again highlight how Silverstone remains one of the toughest tests of overall aerodynamic efficiency on the Formula 1 calendar.

Official Formula 1 upgrade packages for the British Grand Prix

Mercedes

Mercedes has not introduced any upgrades for the British Grand Prix weekend, choosing to run its existing specification at Silverstone.

Red Bull

Red Bull has focused its attention on the rear corner by revising the winglets integrated into the rear wheel bodywork. The update affects the inner area around the rear wheel assembly and is aimed at improving the local aerodynamic characteristics, generating more efficient downforce while enhancing rear-end stability.

Although relatively small in appearance, this is a highly targeted development. Subtle refinements in this area can significantly influence airflow management towards the diffuser and beam wing, particularly at a high-speed circuit such as Silverstone.

Component	Reason	Changes	Description
Rear corner	Performance – local downforce	Rear wheel bodywork winglets	Within the inner rear wheel area, the cascade wing elements integrated into the rear wheel bodywork have been revised by changing the number of elements to improve downforce characteristics and rear stability.

McLaren

McLaren has brought a package focused on airflow management, introducing changes to both the front corner and the floor.

The new front brake duct is designed not only to improve cooling performance but also to act as an aerodynamic device, cleaning up the airflow around the front wheel and generating additional local downforce. Even more significant are the revisions to the floor furniture, where several floor appendages have been redesigned to improve the airflow underneath the car and increase overall aerodynamic efficiency—an essential factor at a circuit as demanding and balance-sensitive as Silverstone.

Component	Reason	Changes	Description
Front corner	Performance – airflow conditioning	New front brake duct	McLaren has introduced a redesigned front brake duct intended to improve airflow conditioning around the front wheel and generate additional local aerodynamic load.
Floor furniture	Performance – airflow conditioning	Revised floor board and floor appendages	The floor board and several floor furniture elements have been updated to optimise airflow beneath the car, improving overall aerodynamic efficiency.

Ferrari

Ferrari has focused its Silverstone upgrade package on the rear corner, combining thermal management improvements with aerodynamic refinements.

Larger cooling inlets and outlets are intended to improve temperature control around the rear of the SF-26, while a revised lower deflector and an optimised winglet package are designed to generate additional local downforce without significantly compromising aerodynamic efficiency.

The update specifically targets one of the SF-26’s most sensitive areas by improving rear-end stability while ensuring cooling remains under control at one of the fastest and most demanding circuits of the Formula 1 season.

Component	Reason	Changes	Description
Rear corner	Performance – local downforce and cooling	Enlarged cooling inlet and outlet sections, updated lower deflector and re-optimised rear winglet assembly	The upgrade has two primary objectives: improving rear corner cooling through larger inlet and outlet openings, while increasing local downforce by redesigning the lower deflector and optimising the aerodynamic load generated by the winglets to maximise overall efficiency.

Williams

Williams has introduced a new front wing at Silverstone, revising both the main wing profiles and the endplate surfaces.

The objective extends beyond simply producing more front-end downforce. The new design has been developed to improve the quality of the airflow directed towards the rest of the car. On a circuit like Silverstone, where high-speed balance is critical, cleaner airflow from the front wing can help make the car more stable and predictable through rapid direction changes.

Component	Reason	Changes	Description
Front wing	Performance – airflow conditioning	New front wing geometry with revised profiles and endplate surfaces	The new front wing has been developed to increase local downforce while improving the interaction between the airflow and downstream aerodynamic components.

Racing Bulls

Racing Bulls has arrived at Silverstone with an upgrade package focused on the rear section of the floor and the rear corner of the car. The revisions to the floor edge, diffuser and deflectors are designed to improve airflow as it exits the floor, generating greater downforce at the rear of the car.

The package is aimed at increasing rear-end stability and overall aerodynamic efficiency—two key factors at a high-speed circuit like Silverstone, where floor performance plays a crucial role in supporting the car through fast, sweeping corners.

Component	Reason	Changes	Description
Floor edge and diffuser	Performance – local downforce	Updated floor corner and diffuser geometry	The updates work together to optimise airflow around the rear section of the floor, allowing the car to generate more aerodynamic downforce and improve overall performance.
Rear corner	Performance – airflow conditioning	New front deflector geometry	Working alongside the revised floor, the new deflector is designed to improve local airflow conditioning and increase the floor’s overall aerodynamic efficiency.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin has not introduced any upgrades for the British Grand Prix weekend.

Haas

Haas has brought a rear wing upgrade to Silverstone, revising both the main wing profiles and the endplates. The objective is to generate additional rear downforce without significantly compromising aerodynamic efficiency, an important balance to achieve at a circuit that demands both high-speed cornering stability and strong straight-line performance.

The new protrusions added to the rear wing endplates are primarily intended to improve airflow management and strengthen the upwash effect, making the entire rear wing assembly more effective.

Component	Reason	Changes	Description
Rear wing	Performance – local downforce	New rear wing profiles	The rear wing profiles have been extensively revised, with particular attention given to optimising the flap geometry. The goal is to increase aerodynamic downforce while maintaining a high level of efficiency across the entire operating range.
Rear wing endplate	Performance – airflow conditioning	Rear wing endplate with external protrusions	The rear wing endplates have been refined with the addition of localised protrusions designed to enhance upwash and contribute to the increased downforce generated by the complete rear aerodynamic assembly.