Ferrari pushes FIA into banning controversial Mercedes diffuser ahead of Austrian GP. Ferrari scores political victory as FIA moves to ban Mercedes aerodynamic solution.

Ferrari may have forced the FIA to ban a key Mercedes aerodynamic component that was also expected to arrive soon on the SF-26. The ban could come into effect as early as the Austrian Grand Prix, raising the question of whether Maranello has won an important political battle behind the scenes in Formula 1.

The Scuderia has been making its presence felt not only on the track but also in the political arena of Formula 1. Ferrari has, in a sense, pushed the FIA into taking action against an aerodynamic solution that Mercedes introduced several races ago. With the governing body now reportedly ready to outlaw the component, potentially from Austria onward, many are wondering whether this represents a significant victory for the team from Maranello.

The 2026 regulations have already been the subject of several controversies, beginning with the much-discussed compression ratio debate. However, many of the technical discussions throughout the season have revolved around innovative aerodynamic solutions first introduced by Ferrari on the SF-26 before being adopted by rival teams.

Examples include the FTM winglet positioned ahead of the exhaust, which will disappear from the regulations from 2027 following a decision by the FIA, and the rotating wing concept that was later adopted by Red Bull as well. The technical group led by Loic Serra has consistently pushed the limits of innovation, often exploring solutions that sit very close to the boundaries of the regulations.

After securing victory in Barcelona, Ferrari now appears determined to assert itself not only through performance but also through its influence within the political landscape of Formula 1. The latest dispute is a clear example of that approach.

The Mercedes serrated diffuser could already be banned in Austria

The origins of the controversy date back to the winter, when the FIA carried out legality checks on the various components of the SF-26. During those inspections, Ferrari was forced to remove a diffuser specification that the Federation believed went against the spirit of the regulations.

However, during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Ferrari noticed that a similar “serrated” element had appeared on the Mercedes. As a result, the Maranello team requested clarification from the FIA’s technical department in order to understand why the component had passed the Federation’s inspections. The difference, according to the explanations provided, lay in the details of the implementation and the specific geometries involved.

Following the discussions, the FIA clarified the situation to all teams, not just Ferrari. The governing body explained that the Mercedes solution complied with the regulations, primarily because of the way the component had been designed and integrated into the car. Even so, the Brackley-based team was reportedly required to make slight revisions to the specification first introduced in Montreal.

After the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari moved quickly and succeeded in developing a similar specification to the one that had debuted on the cars of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell in Canada. Once the FIA had provided its approval, Ferrari’s engineers wasted little time in bringing their own version to the SF-26.

The solution first appeared on Ferrari’s car in Monaco and was then retained as part of the major upgrade package introduced in Spain, which also featured significant changes to the floor design.

At the same time, Loic Serra‘s engineering team was already working on an even more aggressive and sophisticated evolution of the serrated diffuser concept. In recent weeks, there has reportedly been an intense exchange of correspondence between Ferrari and the FIA regarding this area of the regulations, suggesting that the matter was far from settled.

Now, according to a report from the Italian website AutoRacer.it, the Mercedes serrated diffuser is set to be banned with almost immediate effect. The FIA has reportedly instructed teams to remove the diffuser extensions as early as the Austrian Grand Prix.

However, there appears to be some reluctance among the affected teams, largely because replacement components are not yet ready for installation. Efforts are reportedly underway to secure a postponement until the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The controversy therefore seems to have reached its conclusion, with Ferrari emerging from the dispute having secured what many observers may view as a significant political victory under the leadership of Fréd Vasseur.