The new Formula 1 regulations for the 2026 World Championship have sparked an interesting opportunity for technical interpretation. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Mercedes introduced a substantial upgrade package, with the aim of defending its supremacy over the rest of the teams. Among these updates, the work carried out on the car’s floor clearly stands out.
It is a solution clearly inspired by Red Bull, with the Brackley squad taking this type of concept and adapting it to the current regulatory cycle. This modification appears on the upper and final section of the diffuser, featuring three small oval-shaped bulges, combined with prominent triangular “teeth” on the trailing edge.
Although the FIA had initially deemed the upgrade legal, growing protests from several teams, including Ferrari, have pushed the International Federation to reopen the case for a second technical evaluation and, apparently, a potential ban could be triggered. Mercedes has been working to postpone this eventuality.
