Ferrari’s SF-26 has arrived at Monza with an aerodynamic configuration that looks strikingly different from the extreme low-downforce packages traditionally associated with the Italian Grand Prix. The same trend can be seen on McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull, with the 2026 Formula 1 regulations – and active aerodynamics in particular – fundamentally changing how teams approach the Temple of Speed.
Aerospace engineer Alberto Aimar has analysed one of the most interesting technical themes of the Monza weekend: the wings fitted to the 2026 Formula 1 cars bear little resemblance to those seen at this circuit in recent seasons. Rather than being an unusual choice by Ferrari alone, the change reflects a broader shift in aerodynamic philosophy across the leading teams.
Ferrari SF-26 at Monza: the circuit is still about speed, but the rules have changed
The Italian Grand Prix presents a unique technical challenge every year. Monza remains one of Formula 1’s defining high-speed circuits, with long straights, severe braking zones, high-speed corners and several chicanes creating a layout unlike almost anything else on the calendar.
From the car’s perspective, some sections are taken at such high speed that they function almost like extensions of the straights. Historically, that has forced teams to adopt a very different aerodynamic compromise compared with most other Grands Prix, sacrificing significant downforce in order to minimise drag and maximise straight-line speed.
In 2026, however, that familiar formula has changed. According to Alberto Aimar, the new technical regulations have altered the way engineers have to think about the Monza package, even though the basic characteristics of the circuit remain the same.
Why the 2026 Monza wings look so different
The clearest visual evidence can be found at the rear of the cars. In previous seasons, Formula 1 teams regularly arrived at Monza with exceptionally thin, heavily trimmed rear wings designed almost entirely around reducing aerodynamic resistance.
Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull have taken a noticeably different approach in 2026. Their wings are still Monza-specific solutions, but they appear significantly more loaded than the configurations that became familiar at the Italian circuit in previous years.
Alberto Aimar stresses that this is not a design mistake or an isolated interpretation. All of the leading teams have moved in the same general direction, indicating that the regulations themselves have pushed engineers towards a fundamentally different way of building an aerodynamic package for Monza.
Active aerodynamics transforms the traditional Monza compromise
The explanation centres on one of the major innovations of the 2026 Formula 1 regulations: active aerodynamics. For the first time, the cars feature movable aerodynamic surfaces at both the front and rear.
According to Alberto Aimar, this capability allows teams to use wing configurations that would have appeared unusually loaded by traditional Monza standards. Because the aerodynamic state of the car can change during a lap, engineers are no longer dealing with exactly the same fixed compromise between downforce and drag that defined previous generations of Formula 1 cars.
That changes the entire design philosophy. Monza still rewards low resistance on its long straights, but the teams must now consider how the aerodynamic package behaves as the movable surfaces transition between their different configurations.
The result is a car that can be designed around a broader operating requirement rather than simply fitting the smallest possible wing and accepting the consequences in the corners.
Ferrari follows the same general philosophy as Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull
One of the most significant observations from the Monza paddock is that Ferrari is not following this path alone. Alberto Aimar points out that Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren have adopted rear wings with a broadly similar underlying philosophy.
The individual designs naturally remain different in their details, but the overall concept is shared. That convergence suggests that the leading engineering groups have reached a similar conclusion about how best to interpret the 2026 regulations at Formula 1’s most specialised high-speed venue.
Ferrari’s approach also forms part of a wider programme of SF-26 changes developed specifically for the Italian Grand Prix, as the Maranello engineers attempt to maximise aerodynamic efficiency without treating minimum drag as the only objective.
Why Monza is no longer simply about removing downforce
For many years, the conventional description of a Monza Formula 1 set-up was straightforward: remove as much aerodynamic load as possible, reduce drag and maximise speed on the straights.
Alberto Aimar argues that the 2026 cars require a more nuanced interpretation. The operation of active aerodynamics has to be considered across the entire lap, meaning engineers cannot focus exclusively on trimming the car to its lowest possible downforce level.
Instead, the objective is to achieve a different balance between straight-line efficiency and the behaviour of the car when its movable aerodynamic surfaces change configuration. That is why the wings being used at Monza in 2026 appear more heavily loaded than those seen in previous seasons.
Ferrari has also worked on other areas of the car to adapt the SF-26 to these unusual demands. The team’s Monza-specific FTM modification, for example, forms part of the wider effort to reduce unnecessary aerodynamic resistance while preserving useful performance elsewhere on the car.
Ferrari brings dedicated SF-26 updates to the Italian Grand Prix
Alberto Aimar also highlights that Ferrari, like the other leading teams, has brought circuit-specific developments to Monza. These are not universal upgrades intended to work identically at every track, but solutions designed around the distinctive requirements of the Italian circuit.
The aim is to find the best possible compromise between aerodynamic efficiency and performance across the complete lap. That makes Monza an important technical laboratory for the SF-26, giving Ferrari an opportunity to evaluate how its solutions perform in one of the most extreme aerodynamic environments of the season.
The fact that the rear wing itself looks less extreme than in previous years should therefore not be interpreted as Ferrari abandoning the pursuit of efficiency. Instead, the way that efficiency is generated has changed under the 2026 regulations.
Why Monza is a major technical test for every Formula 1 team
According to Alberto Aimar, the Italian Grand Prix provides an especially revealing view of the work Formula 1 engineering departments have carried out during the season. The configurations brought to Monza show how each team understands the technical regulations and which areas have been prioritised during the development of its car.
Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull still differ in the details of their individual solutions, but all four have embraced an aerodynamic philosophy that is markedly different from the traditional Monza approach.
It is one of the most significant technical consequences of Formula 1’s 2026 regulations. Monza can no longer be defined simply as the circuit where teams fit extremely trimmed wings and remove as much downforce as possible.
Active aerodynamics has changed the relationship between aerodynamic load and resistance, forcing designers to rethink how the car must perform across every section of the lap. Ferrari and its main rivals have responded with configurations that would have looked unusual at the Temple of Speed only a short time ago.
The Italian Grand Prix weekend will ultimately reveal which interpretation works most effectively at the fastest venue on the calendar. For Ferrari, the behaviour of the SF-26 will provide another valuable indication of how successfully Maranello has adapted to the new aerodynamic philosophy, with further developments and analysis available through our Ferrari technical analysis coverage.
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