Ferrari’s Austin upgrades delivered an encouraging first indication in Friday practice as Charles Leclerc topped FP1 while the team carried out a direct comparison between two different specifications of the SF-26. Leclerc ran the new package at the Circuit of The Americas, whereas Lewis Hamilton continued with the previous version and finished sixth, around half a second behind his teammate.
The split programme gave Ferrari an important opportunity to assess its final development package of the 2026 season against a known baseline. Although both drivers had played down the scale of the changes before running began, Leclerc’s performance provided an immediately positive starting point for the Maranello team after its Austin upgrade package had been identified as an important response to Ferrari’s recent development concerns.
Ferrari splits its Austin FP1 programme between Leclerc and Hamilton
Ferrari deliberately opened the weekend with Leclerc and Hamilton using different versions of the SF-26. The Monegasque evaluated the latest specification, while the seven-time world champion remained with the previous configuration, allowing the engineers to compare the new components against the car they already understood.
The approach was particularly useful because the two Ferrari drivers have generally operated at a sufficiently similar performance level to provide a meaningful reference. Leclerc ultimately finished the session ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, while Hamilton ended FP1 in sixth place and approximately five tenths behind the number 16 Ferrari.
There were also encouraging indications from Leclerc’s short race-pace simulation. He was the only driver from a leading team to complete a medium-tyre long run during the session, putting together seven laps on that compound. Hamilton, by comparison, completed only four laps during his soft-tyre run.
Within those different programmes, Leclerc showed the stronger pace. Readers can examine the wider session data through the F1 Practice & Long-Run Analysis, which provides practice-session comparisons, stint information and sector data while accounting for the different programmes teams can run during free practice.
What the Austin FP1 comparison revealed
Compared with Norris and Verstappen, the areas where Leclerc’s performance differed most were concentrated around braking phases. Turns 1, 11, 12, 14 and 19 were highlighted among the points where the main gaps emerged during the running.
The first session nevertheless represented only the opening stage of Ferrari’s evaluation. The differing specifications, tyre compounds and run lengths meant the engineers had several variables to study before reaching firmer conclusions about how much the updated package had changed the SF-26.
For Ferrari, however, having the updated car at the top of the classification gave the team a useful early reference as it began analysing whether the aerodynamic changes were producing the intended effect.
What Ferrari changed on the SF-26 for Austin
The central objective of Ferrari’s latest package is to find additional aerodynamic load while improving the way airflow behaves towards the rear of the car. The first area of attention was the floor, where the team worked on the energy and stability of the airflow travelling towards the back of the SF-26.
Some of the most visible modifications are around the sidepods. Ferrari changed the shape of the radiator inlet and revised the undercut, altering the way the airflow is managed around the bodywork and towards the rear of the car.
The diffuser was also subject to detailed development. Ferrari modified its overall volume as well as external elements around the trailing edge. Those changes follow the work carried out further forward on the floor, which was intended to improve the quality of the airflow reaching the diffuser.
Why Austin is an important test for Ferrari’s final 2026 upgrade
The package introduced in Texas is set to be Ferrari’s final update of the 2026 campaign before development attention moves towards the following season. That makes the Austin weekend particularly important for understanding whether the last major changes to the SF-26 have delivered the expected improvement.
The Circuit of The Americas also provides a useful environment for evaluating a development package because its layout combines high-speed corners, slower technical sections and a long straight. Teams therefore have the opportunity to assess several aspects of aerodynamic performance, including load generation and drag. The characteristics and timetable of the event are covered in the 2026 United States Grand Prix and COTA guide.
Ferrari is not alone in bringing developments to Austin
Several of Ferrari’s rivals also arrived in Texas with changes. McLaren focused mainly on its diffuser as the team looked to recover the level of performance that had helped it win in both Hungary and the Netherlands, while Red Bull concentrated its latest development work around the front of its car.
Mercedes is following a different process after introducing the new version of the W17 in Malaysia. The team found a more effective setup at the Singapore Grand Prix, although the performance benefit has remained considerably lower than its simulations had suggested.
For Ferrari, the priority after FP1 is now to understand exactly what the split-car comparison revealed. Leclerc’s session-leading result and the initial race-pace figures provided a promising opening indication, but the value of the Austin package will depend on whether those gains remain visible as the weekend progresses and the SF-26 is pushed under more representative conditions.
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