Ferrari has emerged as the most active Formula 1 team in terms of the number of upgrades introduced during the 2026 season, although Aston Martin is believed to have committed the largest share of its available development resources. The contrast is particularly significant when compared with Mercedes, whose W17 has received barely more than half as many updates as the SF-26.
Fred Vasseur had already anticipated before the season that development would become one of the defining battlegrounds of the 2026 championship. With the campaign now beyond its halfway point, the scale of the different approaches is becoming clearer, and Ferrari has been among the most aggressive teams in attempting to improve its car throughout the year.
Ferrari leads the 2026 F1 upgrade count with 36 developments
Since the start of the season, Ferrari has introduced 36 upgrades to the SF-26, the highest total on the grid. Aston Martin follows with 33, while McLaren has registered 30. Those figures underline the intensity of the development programme at Maranello, which has continued with recent aerodynamic work covered in greater detail in our Ferrari technical analysis section.
Mercedes is much further down the list. The Brackley team has brought 19 upgrades, the same number as Audi, while only Williams has introduced fewer, with 16. Williams’ relatively limited development programme has been linked to difficulties encountered during the design phase.
The raw number of new parts, however, does not necessarily reveal how much money each team has committed. The scale and complexity of an individual development can vary enormously, meaning a team can introduce fewer upgrades while still spending more on them.
Aston Martin leads estimated F1 upgrade spending
Figures compiled by The Race using information gathered from the Formula 1 paddock provide an indication of how the teams compare in terms of development expenditure. Aston Martin occupies the highest level of the ranking, with Ferrari and Red Bull placed immediately behind at an estimated 90% level.
McLaren follows at 85%, with Audi and Alpine on 70%. Racing Bulls sits at 60%, while Mercedes is considerably lower at 55%. Haas, Cadillac and Williams complete the ranking at 50%.
- Level 1: Aston Martin
- Level 2: Ferrari and Red Bull – 90%
- Level 3: McLaren – 85%
- Level 4: Audi and Alpine – 70%
- Level 5: Racing Bulls – 60%
- Level 6: Mercedes – 55%
- Level 7: Haas, Cadillac and Williams – 50%
Aston Martin’s position illustrates why counting components alone can be misleading. Although it has introduced fewer individual upgrades than Ferrari, the team brought a new and lighter chassis at the Hungarian Grand Prix. A development of that scale is considerably more expensive than a smaller aerodynamic modification and therefore has a much greater effect on the overall development budget.
Williams could make a similarly significant step later in the season. The team is planning a substantial chassis update for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, and its position in the spending comparison could consequently rise if that development is confirmed. The timing of Baku and the remaining events can be found in the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren form a clear group ahead of Mercedes
Perhaps the most revealing element of the comparison is the separation between Formula 1’s leading development programmes. Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren sit relatively close together in estimated spending, whereas Mercedes is some distance behind them.
That difference has become increasingly relevant as recent Grands Prix have shown that the W17 is no longer the clear performance benchmark it once appeared to be. Mercedes is nevertheless expected to return to the fight for victory at Monza, a circuit regarded as particularly favourable to the characteristics of its package.
Ferrari will also arrive at its home Grand Prix with further development work of its own. Maranello has prepared a combination of power-unit, floor and aerodynamic changes for the Italian weekend, with the details of the Ferrari SF-26 Monza upgrade package forming the latest stage of an aggressive 2026 programme.
That follows the significant aerodynamic step introduced at Zandvoort. Analysis of the Dutch Grand Prix weekend indicated that the revised floor contributed to an improvement in the car’s race performance, with the SF-26 floor upgrade and its impact at Zandvoort providing another example of Ferrari’s willingness to continue spending on development during the season.
Why Mercedes has brought fewer W17 upgrades
The difference between the teams is not necessarily explained simply by how much money each operation possesses. Development strategies also depend heavily on when resources are committed and how expensive the original car was to design and manufacture.
Mercedes may have less room remaining within its development allocation after investing heavily in an ambitious W17 concept during the winter. The complexity of those initial solutions required substantial expenditure before the season had even begun, potentially leaving less flexibility for a continuous stream of major upgrades later in the championship.
Shovlin explained that Mercedes expected the W17 to receive fewer updates than the other leading cars. That approach could also reflect a deliberate decision to preserve resources for a more substantial development package planned for the Malaysian Grand Prix in October. Further coverage of the team’s evolving programme can be found through Mercedes F1 developments.
Unexpected costs must also be considered when Formula 1 teams plan their seasons. Mechanical failures, accident damage and driver errors can all consume resources that might otherwise have been directed towards performance development.
Budget cap makes the 2026 F1 development battle more complex
The comparison therefore provides only part of the picture. Ferrari’s 36 upgrades show how frequently the Scuderia has modified the SF-26, while Aston Martin’s position at the top of the estimated expenditure ranking demonstrates that the financial impact of an upgrade depends heavily on its scale.
Mercedes, meanwhile, has adopted a visibly more restrained in-season programme, with only 19 upgrades and an estimated spending level well below Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren. Whether that proves to be an effective allocation of resources could become clearer once its planned Malaysia package reaches the track.
With several races still remaining, the development contest is far from settled. Further major components, unexpected repair costs and decisions over when to stop improving the current cars will continue to shape how each team uses the resources available under Formula 1’s budget cap until the end of the 2026 season.
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