Ted Kravitz Impressed by Ferrari's New Upgrades at US Grand Prix

Ted Kravitz, a familiar face in the F1 paddock, has given a nod of approval to Ferrari's latest updates for their SF-26 car, unveiled at the 2026 United States Grand Prix. The Scuderia, under the guidance of team boss Fred Vasseur, has been pushing the envelope all season with their aggressive design philosophy. This approach has resulted in features like the FTM exhaust flap and the whimsically named Macarena rear wing. Despite the SF-26's prowess in medium-to-high-speed corners, the team has only managed a single victory each for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc this season, with wins at Barcelona and Silverstone respectively.

With Red Bull's Max Verstappen recently pulling off consecutive wins, Ferrari has rolled out new upgrades at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in a bid to reclaim the top step of the podium. The updates include changes to the floor body, floorboard, sidepod inlet, and diffuser. These modifications, particularly the sidepod upgrade with a revised undercut, were rushed to COTA, demonstrating Ferrari's urgency to improve their race pace.

Kravitz, reporting from the paddock, highlighted the significant potential of these updates, especially the redesigned floor edge and diffuser. He noted the new outermost turning vane, which now extends over the others, calling the approach aggressive. On Sky Sports F1, he remarked, "The issues Ferrari are having on track do not extend to their design office; four more upgrades! This is the continuation, the completion you might say, of the upgrade package that Ferrari started to bring to Madrid, and this will be their last chassis upgrade of the year."

The Scuderia's new 'snowplough' design, likened to a bulldozer claw, aims to channel air more effectively under the floor, enhancing the diffuser's efficiency. Ferrari claims this results in more efficient downforce, a crucial factor in improving their competitive edge. Kravitz was particularly impressed by the innovation, saying, "I’ve got to say this is quite impressive for me."

Ferrari's design team, led by chassis technical director Loic Serra, is optimistic that these upgrades will address the SF-26's struggles in high-speed corners, as indicated by data from Leclerc and Hamilton's previous updates. The recent package, debuting at COTA, is seen as a final push to challenge Red Bull's dominance in the remaining races of the season.

As Ferrari continues to strive for success, fans and analysts alike are keeping a close eye on whether these upgrades will translate into tangible results on track. With the championship pressures mounting, the Scuderia is keen to end their long title drought, a feat they last achieved with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007. Whether these latest developments will be enough to propel Ferrari back to the forefront of F1 remains to be seen.