Ferrari reportedly opposed a proposed Formula 1 regulation change concerning active aerodynamics ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, while Mercedes has now altered its development strategy amid growing concern over the progress being made in Maranello.
The Scuderia claimed its second victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season thanks to Charles Leclerc, who finally managed to break free from the difficult run of form that had affected him in recent races. Before the British Grand Prix, Ferrari also took a firm stance against changing one aspect of the regulations relating to active aerodynamics at Silverstone. Meanwhile, Mercedes has reportedly responded by revising its development plans for the remainder of the season.
The Ferrari SF-26 has now become a car capable of challenging Mercedes at a variety of circuits, thanks to the extensive work carried out by the team in Maranello. A third major upgrade package is already on the way following the developments introduced in Miami and Spain, while the ADUO 2 upgrade is also scheduled to arrive within the next five races.
Ferrari has also rediscovered the best version of Charles Leclerc after several races in which the Monegasque struggled to find confidence and the right feeling with the car. Lewis Hamilton now sits just 32 points behind Kimi Antonelli in the championship standings, and both title battles remain wide open, especially considering the reliability issues that continue to affect the Mercedes W17.
Ferrari rejected FIA proposal to expand active aerodynamics zones
According to a report from the Italian media outlet AutoRacer.it, Mercedes still enjoys a significant advantage, particularly when it comes to tyre management, as demonstrated by its dominant opening stint at Silverstone. However, encouraging signs continue to emerge from Ferrari, where engineers in Maranello are making strong progress despite still dealing with a power unit deficit that has nevertheless been reduced in recent weeks.
Further upgrades are still planned for the SF-26, including a new engine specification. Another interesting detail is that Mercedes had reportedly intended to stop developing the W17 once Formula 1 entered the summer break, effectively freezing development for the second half of the season. Those plans have now changed, with the Brackley-based team expected to introduce further updates around the Bahrain Grand Prix. The decision suggests Mercedes now views Ferrari as a genuine threat, something few would have predicted after the way the season began.
Cars carrying higher levels of aerodynamic drag struggled more at Silverstone, with both McLaren and Red Bull experiencing greater difficulties than expected. It is therefore no coincidence that, at the beginning of the race weekend, the FIA held a meeting with the teams to discuss whether active aerodynamics should also be permitted in areas of the circuit where its use was normally prohibited.
Ferrari opposed the proposal. Silverstone presented a unique challenge because, in addition to the energy management issues, several long straights prevented teams from using the active aerodynamic system. That forced every team to make difficult aerodynamic compromises, ultimately highlighting the cars with the strongest chassis.
Mercedes was able to run a little more downforce thanks to the performance advantage it still enjoys from its power unit. Ferrari, on the other hand, managed to mask its remaining engine deficit both because the power unit has improved in recent weeks and because the SF-26’s strong chassis allowed the team to run a lower-drag aerodynamic configuration than its rivals without suffering the usual performance penalties.
