Tech Spotlight: The FIA Technical Upgrades at the Hungarian Grand Prix

The tight, twisting nature of the Hungaroring demands maximum aerodynamic downforce and optimal low-speed stability. With the high drag penalty minimized around Budapest’s 14-corner layout, teams across the grid have arrived at the Hungarian Grand Prix with tailored aero packages—headlined by a massive B-spec overhaul from Aston Martin.

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Here is a full breakdown of the official FIA car submissions and technical upgrades brought by each team this weekend.

1. Aston Martin (AMR26) – The B-Spec Overhaul

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Having eschewed incremental updates for the first ten rounds of the season, Aston Martin has delivered a sweeping, 16-part B-spec redesign engineered under the leadership of Adrian Newey. The package combines extensive aerodynamic evolution with crucial chassis weight reduction.

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• Chassis & Nose: A re-homologated, lighter forward chassis paired with a longer, slender nose section.
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• Front End: Redesigned front wing mainplane, endplates, and updated front brake duct external elements.
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• Floor & Underbody: Complete revision across all permitted floor surfaces, featuring new floor body geometry, re-profiled floor fences, and updated floor edges.
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• Sidepods & Engine Cover: Reshaped sidepod inlets and revised engine cover bodywork to optimize airflow towards the rear diffuser.
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• Rear End: Updated rear suspension geometry, revised rear brake duct corners, a new rear wing, beam wing, rear wing endplates, and extra cooling louvres.
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“It’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.” — Adrian Newey

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2. Red Bull Racing

Red Bull has focused on low-speed corner exit traction and rear stability to suit the Hungaroring’s rhythm.

• Diffuser: A newly designed diffuser geometry (inspired by rival airflow concepts) aimed at expanding underbody extraction.
• Rear Wing: Updated wing pylon profiles and modified flap geometry to tune downforce-to-drag balance.

3. Ferrari

Ferrari brings circuit-specific rear updates aimed at maximizing vertical load through Budapest’s technical middle sector.

• Rear Wing Assembly: A high-downforce rear wing mainplane complemented by modified endplate profiles to increase local load without compromising flow structure.

4. Williams

Williams continues to refine its mid-season package with track-tailored modifications.

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• High-Downforce Floor & Rear Wing: A circuit-specific floor edge treatment paired with a steep-angle rear wing to improve mid-corner downforce and rear-end confidence.

5. Racing Bulls (RB)

Following the chassis upgrade introduced on Arvid Lindblad’s car, Racing Bulls continues to trickling down parts across both cars while refining thermals.

• Chassis: Upgraded lightweight chassis fitted to Liam Lawson’s car.
• Aero & Cooling: High-load rear wing, additional engine cover cooling louvres, and updated roll-hoop winglets to refine rearward airflow.
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6. Haas & Audi

Both teams have introduced targeted rear-end updates focusing on flow detachment and efficiency.

• Haas: Revised Straight Mode (DRS) fairing and modified rear wing assembly.
• Audi: Updated rear wing endplate geometry to manage vortex generation at high yaw angles.

7. Cadillac

Cadillac has prioritized thermal management following cooling struggles in high-ambient conditions.

• Front Brake Ducts: An upgraded front brake duct inlet scoop designed to improve brake disc and caliper cooling airflow without imposing significant aero drag penalties.

Upgrade Summary by Team