Ferrari Brings New Floor to Zandvoort, McLaren Ready to Respond

After the summer break, Formula 1 action heats up again. Ferrari arrives at Zandvoort with big ambitions: to hit the ground running with the latest upgrade for the SF-26. The Maranello team will introduce a new floor, which is essentially a further development of the version that debuted in Barcelona last June.

From a technical standpoint, the goal is clear: to generate more downforce through the bodywork while continuing to improve the car's overall performance. Ferrari wants to ensure the SF-26 is also competitive on twistier circuits, where long straights and high top speeds are less important. Zandvoort's characteristics thus serve as a direct test case to assess how effective this new development is.

According to sources close to Ferrari, the introduction of this floor was not planned for Zandvoort until recently. However, analysis of data from the Austrian Grand Prix and the British Grand Prix—two circuits with virtually opposite characteristics—made it clear where there was still room for improvement. At the Red Bull Ring, the SF-26, partly due to the chosen setup, was unable to match the performance it had delivered two weeks earlier in Barcelona. Ferrari quickly decided to develop a modified floor and put the necessary parts into production even before the mandatory two-week shutdown.

Baca JugaF1 GP Belanda 2026: Jadwal Sprint & Zandvoort Terakhir

This will only reinforce rival teams' opinion of Ferrari's outstanding development and production capabilities. It also signals that the Italian team is determined not to lose momentum in the second half of the season.

Although the new floor will be introduced at Zandvoort despite the sprint format, the introduction of the updated power unit for Monza remains on schedule. Thanks to the second ADUO window, the long-awaited update can be introduced there. The most significant change is a new turbine with a larger diameter, which should noticeably improve the internal combustion engine's performance on the straights.

It is difficult to specify exactly how much additional power this development will yield at maximum RPM. It should be emphasized, however, that the update should not be viewed as a means to immediately and completely eliminate the performance gap with the competition's powertrains, primarily Mercedes HPP and Red Bull Powertrains. Ferrari will have to wait until 2027 for that. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of confidence at Maranello, even if it is not officially stated. The data collected so far suggests that the combination of aerodynamic improvements and narrowing the gap in engine performance could form a solid foundation for a challenge against Mercedes in the second half of the season.

McLaren is also resuming the season with a new development for the MCL40. Technical Director of Engineering Neil Houldey previously stated that Ferrari serves as an important benchmark due to the development capabilities the team has demonstrated so far. McLaren is also set to introduce a new floor at Zandvoort. This will effectively complete the development package introduced in Hungary, where it won for the first time this year.

The Woking-based team has now thoroughly identified the MCL40's weaknesses. However, some of these stem from design choices that can no longer be adjusted during the season. This applies, for example, to the wheelbase, which has proven to be too short. As a result, the car reacts very sensitively to changes in the setup, and it is also difficult to find the right setup. Nevertheless, the team in Woking is convinced that the direction taken with the most recent updates can ensure that the MCL40's potential is finally fully realized. That potential remained largely untapped for much of the first half of the season.