Ferrari modified the brake ducts on the SF-26 at the 2026 Miami Grand Prix for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after studying their data generated by CFD simulations.
The Scuderia utilised the break between the rounds in Japan and Florida to deliver a total of 11 upgrades at Hard Rock Stadium. No team introduced more updates at the Miami GP than Ferrari, although the Maranello outfit still face a deficit to Mercedes due to their power unit.
Leclerc led Ferrari’s hopes all weekend in Miami, as he out-qualified Hamilton for the Sprint and the Grand Prix. The Monegasque would have also finished in front of the Briton in each race were it not for him receiving a 20-second penalty in the Miami GP to fall from P6 to P8.
Hamilton’s damage from his contact with Franco Colapinto ruined his hopes for more in the Miami GP. But the seven-time champion and Leclerc’s efforts in Miami showed Ferrari need ADUO to upgrade their engine, as further aerodynamic upgrades are unlikely to be enough.
Ferrari have made an ‘interesting’ change to the rear diffuser on the SF-26
Ferrari’s upgrades in Florida focused on improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the SF-26, with their car particularly performing well in the corners due to its improved agility. Ferrari also worked on improving the downforce and the outwash generated by their rear diffuser.
That is according to RacingNews365, which reports that Ferrari utilised what they noticed in their CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations to upgrade their rear diffuser for the Miami GP. Their tweaks included an ‘interesting’ change by extending the brake duct guides.
Ferrari’s engineers also added extra vertical fins onto the rear diffuser to create an array of flow channels to further increase the outflow velocity. Their target was to increase the low-pressure area under the car and increase the outwash turbulence around the rear wheels.
All of Ferrari’s upgrades on the rear of the SF-26 at the Miami GP helped them give Leclerc and Hamilton a car that performed well in the corners. But the Scuderia are aware that the SF-26 is not yet a title-contending challenger until they can introduce an upgraded engine.
It is widely believed that Ferrari are set to receive ADUO once the FIA rules on which engine manufacturers can introduce upgrades to their internal combustion engines (ICE). The FIA is set to rule on which engines are below the benchmark after the Canadian GP on May 22-24.
