After the FIA rejected a specific SF-26 solution during the winter legality checks, only for Mercedes to introduce a similar concept between the Canadian and Monaco Grands Prix, Ferrari has decided to push back and accelerate the development of its own version. Here are all the details behind the disputed component and the next potential upgrade for the Scuderia.
During the pre-season legality assessments carried out by the FIA, Ferrari was informed that a particular specification on the SF-26 would not be permitted. However, a very similar solution later appeared on the Mercedes cars, prompting questions and concerns from Maranello.
Ferrari has taken an aggressive technical approach with its current Formula 1 challenger, introducing several innovations that have attracted attention across the paddock. One notable example is the FTM device, which the FIA has already decided to ban from 2027 onward. For now, however, the system continues to provide Ferrari with an advantage in terms of technical know-how and implementation.
The SF-26 has proven especially competitive on high-downforce circuits, but one area that generated significant discussion over the winter was the diffuser. Ferrari invested considerable resources in this section of the car and reportedly found substantial gains in rear-end performance. Yet one particular diffuser concept was rejected by the FIA.
When a very similar solution appeared on the Mercedes between the Canadian and Monaco Grands Prix, doubts naturally emerged within the Ferrari camp. Now, however, the situation appears to be evolving.
Ferrari to introduce a further upgraded toothed diffuser after FIA green light
Following the controversy, the FIA clarified the situation to all teams, not just Ferrari. The governing body explained that the component used by Mercedes complied with the regulations, largely because of differences in its geometry. Even so, Toto Wolff’s team reportedly had to make slight revisions to the specification first introduced in Canada.
After Monaco, Ferrari moved quickly and succeeded in bringing its own version of the concept, similar to the one debuted on the Mercedes cars driven by Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. Once the FIA provided clarification and approval, Ferrari’s engineers wasted little time in developing their interpretation.
The solution was first introduced on the SF-26 in Monaco before being confirmed as part of the extensive upgrade package brought to the Spanish Grand Prix, which included significant modifications to the floor. However, the technical group led by Loïc Serra is not satisfied with stopping there and is determined to continue pushing development further.
According to reports from the Italian website AutoRacer.it, Ferrari is already working on an even more advanced version of the so-called toothed diffuser, although it remains too early to predict when it will make its race debut.
The FIA and Ferrari continue to exchange numerous communications regarding this area of the regulations, suggesting that the matter has not been fully settled. That ongoing dialogue could slightly delay the introduction of the updated component.
In a Formula 1 rulebook as complex as the current one, every detail matters. Technical interpretations often become decisive in defining what is and is not permissible. Teams that manage to introduce an innovation first not only gain a potential performance advantage on track but also benefit from the valuable head start that comes with being ahead of their rivals in the development race.
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