Overview
- Ferrari formally submitted a wide underfloor package to the FIA on Oct. 23 and fitted the parts for the Austin weekend, targeting changes to board braces, the floor leading edge, inboard boards, extended outer floor 'finger' and diffuser volume.
- Team technical notes state the aim is to energise airflow into the rear of the SF-26 so the diffuser can work harder and deliver more stable rear downforce rather than a single large peak in lap time.
- Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc publicly downplayed the immediate benefit, describing the upgrade as small and worth 'less than a tenth' of a second in lap time.
- Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in opening practice, but outlets and engineers stress that further sessions and race data are needed to confirm whether the revisions produce measurable gains on track.
- Rivals including McLaren, Red Bull, Racing Bulls, Audi, Alpine and Cadillac also brought updates to Austin, and teams see late-season parts as both points chasers and sources of aero data ahead of 2027 rules that cut front‑floor fingers from five to three.