Ferrari continue to probe 2026 regulations, as halo winglet appears in China

Ferrari have been extremely creative at the start of this regulation set, with their ‘FMT’ and ‘Macarena’ rear wing both drawing attention from fans and rivals alike.

But, in China they’ve added another surprise to the SF-26, as they continue to probe the regulations in a different way to years gone by.

Ferrari bring upgrades for Chinese Grand Prix

Winging it

Ferrari have mounted a new winglet on the front pillar of the halo for the second race weekend of the season, as they continue to hunt for ways to increase efficiency in a formula that demands as much.

This is not a race-specific solution, as they clarified in the car presentation document

“Introducing a winglet element to the halo pillar as a minor update. Not event specific, it simply returns a small aerodynamic load benefit”.

Instead it’s about improving the airflow’s behaviour before it reaches the cockpit and perhaps more importantly, the driver’s helmet.

Afterall, the cockpit, halo and driver’s helmet all contribute losses that the aerodynamicists are trying to minimise. It’s why a fairing around the halo is already permissible and why there’s been various design solutions used in the past to combat these issues.

Ferrari also has form when it comes to looking for performance associated with the design of the halo.

Their most controversial solution arose from the mirrors being hung from the side of the safety structure in 2018, for which they then installed ‘eyebrow winglets’ above.

The eyebrow winglets survived for just one race, before being outlawed by the FIA, with only the mirrors able to be hung from the halo thereafter.

The ‘Macarena’ wing, as it has been oddly dubbed, made another appearance in China too, as the team continued to put the prototype through its paces and gather more data.

The team are reportedly working on a new version of the rear wing solution that should arrive around the Canadian Grand Prix.

Read next: Hamilton says Ferrari’s ‘Macarena’ wing ‘a little premature’ in Shanghai

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