2026 car comparisons

[Emag]

Interesting that Red Bull after pioneering the downwash sidepods last regulations went away from it but some front running teams have stuck with it.

I wouldn't personally group Ferrari and Mercedes in that downwash club. They look like that from certain perspectives, but conceptually I don't think they're trying to do the same things as McLaren is doing.

So McLaren are the only team who kept the general philosophy of the last gen, but adapted it. The others have found new ways to deal with it.

[f1isgood]

Interesting that Red Bull after pioneering the downwash sidepods last regulations went away from it but some front running teams have stuck with it.

I wouldn't personally group Ferrari and Mercedes in that downwash club. They look like that from certain perspectives, but conceptually I don't think they're trying to do the same things as McLaren is doing.

So McLaren are the only team who kept the general philosophy of the last gen, but adapted it. The others have found new ways to deal with it.

Yeah fair.

[chrisc90]

[brakeboosted]

Interesting that Red Bull after pioneering the downwash sidepods last regulations went away from it but some front running teams have stuck with it.

I wouldn't personally group Ferrari and Mercedes in that downwash club. They look like that from certain perspectives, but conceptually I don't think they're trying to do the same things as McLaren is doing.

So McLaren are the only team who kept the general philosophy of the last gen, but adapted it. The others have found new ways to deal with it.

Their bodywork is very much downwashing, regardless of whether they have lots of g-line contraction toward the rear.

[Emag]

Interesting that Red Bull after pioneering the downwash sidepods last regulations went away from it but some front running teams have stuck with it.

I wouldn't personally group Ferrari and Mercedes in that downwash club. They look like that from certain perspectives, but conceptually I don't think they're trying to do the same things as McLaren is doing.

So McLaren are the only team who kept the general philosophy of the last gen, but adapted it. The others have found new ways to deal with it.

Their bodywork is very much downwashing, regardless of whether they have lots of g-line contraction toward the rear.

I think to a certain level all F1 cars will be downwashing as it's very beneficial for the diffuser. However, in the way they're going about things, to me at least, Mercedes and Ferrari look conceptually different.

[brakeboosted]

I wouldn't personally group Ferrari and Mercedes in that downwash club. They look like that from certain perspectives, but conceptually I don't think they're trying to do the same things as McLaren is doing.

So McLaren are the only team who kept the general philosophy of the last gen, but adapted it. The others have found new ways to deal with it.

Their bodywork is very much downwashing, regardless of whether they have lots of g-line contraction toward the rear.

I think to a certain level all F1 cars will be downwashing as it's very beneficial for the diffuser. However, in the way they're going about things, to me at least, Mercedes and Ferrari look conceptually different.

Which I agree on, but those are details. Doesn't change the fact that their sidepods are downwashing.

[AR3-GP]

[AR3-GP]

[bananapeel23]

https://ibb.co/N6BKFpLH

McLaren looks terrifyingly advanced compared to the rest. They have clearly spent a lot of time on that front wing.

[Emag]

https://ibb.co/N6BKFpLH

McLaren looks terrifyingly advanced compared to the rest. They have clearly spent a lot of time on that front wing.

It is probably the most developed front end at the moment, but they also explicitly stated they would be bringing an advanced car in Barcelona compared to most others who said the opposite and more will be coming between tests up until Melbourne.

I think I agree with Dr Obs assessment. McLaren might have “shown hand” a little bit earlier than others, but I would be surprised if they all didn’t look very refined by the time we reach Melbourne.

[matteosc]

https://i.postimg.cc/zvyYWbnJ/image.png

Not sure about the speed these were taken at, but it looks like there is significant less outwashing from the front tyres, compared to previous generations of cars.

[dren]

https://ibb.co/N6BKFpLH

McLaren looks terrifyingly advanced compared to the rest. They have clearly spent a lot of time on that front wing.

Not sure I agree with that. They don't look much different than the rest in detail other than they decided to go with the outboard horizontal bit that the others omitted.

[motobaleno]

https://ibb.co/N6BKFpLH

McLaren looks terrifyingly advanced compared to the rest. They have clearly spent a lot of time on that front wing.

Not sure I agree with that. They don't look much different than the rest in detail other than they decided to go with the outboard horizontal bit that the others omitted.

The one really (and evidently) different (not implying better or worst here) is the mercedes.

[venkyhere]

Interesting that Red Bull after pioneering the downwash + large undercut sidepods last regulations went away from it but some front running teams have stuck with it.

RedBull is always the 'gambler team'. More often than not, they fail. But sometimes, the gamble 'clicks' (like the 'many local knee/folds for local pressurization in the underfloor' from 2022 or the sharkmouth sidepod intake from 2024, or the blow exhaust diffuser from 2009/2010) and most other teams end up copying their 'bold ideas'. Not just true with the car design, true with tyre/race strategy as well. It's a maverick team philosophy. Like how they decided to make engines, knowing Honda were going to leave. It can all come crashing down, but they aren't afraid of failure.

[venkyhere]

https://i.postimg.cc/zvyYWbnJ/image.png

With the disclaimer of assuming the same 'wetness level' in both the pics, it's remarkable that the up-and-out-washing spray from the RB22 is almost matching the SF26 (the Ferrari with a proper undercut has the spray going more outwards, but not by much) without big sidepods and undercut.