Teams bring major tech upgrades heading to Austrian GP

• Photo courtesy of F1

As the Austrian Grand Prix heads into its Sunday race, several Formula 1 teams have arrived at the Red Bull Ring with major technical upgrades aimed at improving aerodynamic performance, cooling, reliability, and straight-line efficiency.

Fewest corners, more overtaking: Austrian GP sets up fast Sunday test for F1 teams

The FIA’s latest technical update showed a wide range of new parts across the grid, with teams targeting key areas such as the floor, diffuser, sidepod inlets, rear wings, front suspension fairings, brake ducts, and engine covers. The upgrades are especially important in Austria, where teams need strong efficiency because the circuit combines short lap times, heavy braking zones, elevation changes, and multiple overtaking opportunities.

Cadillac brought one of the most extensive packages for the MAC-26. The team introduced new enlarged sidepod inlets, a resurfaced sidepod deck, and more aggressive undercuts to improve airflow around the car’s bodywork.

Its engine cover was also revised with more cooling louvres and an updated fin profile, while new mirror stays and roll hoop leg fairings were added to improve airflow management.

Cadillac also updated the floor bib, floor leading edge, diffuser, and beam wing, making its Austrian package focused heavily on performance across both the upper bodywork and underfloor.

Alpine focused most of its upgrades on the front of the A526. The team brought a new front wing, revised front wing endplates, a new nose, and updated front corner geometry.

These changes are designed to improve airflow at the front of the car, which is critical because the front wing and nose shape influence how air moves toward the floor, sidepods, and rear of the car. Alpine also introduced a small change at the rear with a new winglet on the diffuser.

Audi also arrived with a large package for the R26. The team introduced a new floor, new rear wing, new beam wing, updated rear suspension elements, and changes to the rear corner. Audi also revised lower deflector designs and the lower deflector layout for the front suspension, while updating the front wing endplates. The package suggests Audi is working on both downforce generation and airflow control from the front of the car to the rear.

Haas made a more targeted update to the VF-26, focusing on the front corner and cooling. The team revised the geometry of the front brake ducts to create a smoother airflow path, reduce local losses, and improve the quality of air moving downstream toward the rear of the car. Haas also brought an engine cover with more louvres, a circuit-specific change meant to improve cooling in Austria.

Racing Bulls made smaller changes at the rear of the VCARB03. The team lowered the exhaust tailpipe and added a new bracket to improve flow. It also refined aerodynamic devices on the trailing edge of the diffuser. While the package is not as broad as those of other teams, the updates show a clear attempt to improve how air exits and behaves around the rear of the car.

Mercedes brought a modest but important package for the W17. The team changed the angle of attack of the front suspension leg fairing to improve alignment with incoming airflow across a wider range of ride heights. This type of update is important for consistency, especially as modern F1 cars are highly sensitive to ride height and airflow stability. Mercedes also updated the engine cover with a narrower rear exit to improve cooling tuning.

Ferrari refined parts of its car for Austria, particularly around the front wing endplate, floor board, mirror stay, and RV tail. The Scuderia adjusted front wing endplates that were first introduced in Barcelona, with the aim of improving flow. Ferrari also brought several test items for free practice, including a modified floor board, new mirror stays, and RV tail changes for correlation work. This indicates the team is gathering data to compare track performance with simulation and wind tunnel expectations.

McLaren’s Austrian update focused on rear efficiency. The team brought a new rear wing modified to allow the flap to deploy into an alternative position in straight-line mode, creating a larger reduction in drag. This could help the MCL40 on Austria’s straights, where drag reduction and top speed are important. McLaren also revised the rear brake ducts to improve flow conditioning. The team also has an experimental front wing, but it is expected to run only in practice.

Red Bull Racing brought a major package for its home race. The RB22 received a revised floor and a new floor board, both aimed at improving performance from the underbody. The team also changed the sidepod geometry, with the bodywork now extending downward and rearward to work more effectively with the floor. Red Bull also introduced a new engine cover for reliability, a revised rear wing, repositioned exhaust tailpipe, and new rear suspension fairings. The update shows a broad push to improve rear-end flow, cooling, and overall aerodynamic efficiency.

The upgrade race comes at a crucial point of the season, with teams trying to gain performance before the Sunday race in Austria. At a track where small margins can decide qualifying positions and race strategy, even subtle changes to airflow, drag, cooling, and floor performance could make a difference.

For teams such as Cadillac, Audi, and Red Bull Racing, the Austrian GP is not just another race weekend. It is also a test of whether their latest development direction can deliver measurable gains on track.