Technical updates: 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix

Ferrari has the biggest upgrade package as Formula 1's European season continues at a familiar venue for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

The Spanish circuit hosted the pre-season shakedown this year and has often been used for other testing in the past, with teams viewing its mix of high-speed and medium-speed corners as a good test of a car’s aerodynamic performance. While a number of teams are keen to see how recent upgrades work on a more traditional track, Ferrari has a full new package available this weekend.

A new front wing includes changes to the main part of the wing itself, the endplates and the nose, with the latter being a raised lower surface as part of a revised nose shape. That should improve the flow quality to a new floor – comprising changes to the entire floor body, floor boards, floor edge and diffuser – that Ferrari says is “targeting overall aerodynamic load increase across the main car operating window as well as flow features robustness improvements together with improved flow topology and energy towards the rear corners.”

Ferrari has also introduced a new sidepod and bodywork design, with what it describes as an “inflated sidepod shoulder and adapted Cokeline” relating to the bodywork nearest the floor. The update is designed to work in conjunction with the new floor to better manipulate the wake coming off the front wheels.

Ferrari has a new "inflated sidepod shoulder and adapted Cokeline” relating to the bodywork nearest the floor. The update is designed to work in conjunction with the new floor to better manipulate the wake coming off the front wheels.Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

At McLaren, there is a small front wing endplate revision, while Mercedes has added small winglets to the centerline of its rear wing to increase downforce. At Red Bull, the front wing is also an area of focus, with tweaks to the wing element geometries near where they meet the endplate to improve local load.

Similar to Mercedes, there are winglets added to the straight mode fairing on the rear wing of the Williams, and at Racing Bulls extra Gurney flaps have been added to the front wing for balance options, as well as an updated diffuser profile and integration into the rear crash structure to create more efficient aerodynamic load.

Haas also focuses its rear impact structure with simplified geometry to give the team multiple options in order to tune the car’s characteristics to the circuit’s demands, while at Cadillac additional cooling louvers have been implemented due to high temperatures being forecast, and a new straight line mode actuator has been added to the front wing introduced in Monaco.

Aston Martin, Audi and Alpine have not submitted any components deemed as new for this event.