Ferrari has introduced a new aerodynamic device on its SF-26 ahead of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, adding a small winglet to the halo structure as part of an early-season development push.
The modification appeared in the paddock on Thursday during pit stop practice as the team prepared for the sprint weekend.
The tiny component sits on the forward leg of the halo and aims to refine airflow around the cockpit. Ferrari engineers believe the device can improve the quality of air moving toward the rear of the car. Even small aerodynamic changes can influence performance in Formula 1’s tightly packed field.
The update signals Ferrari’s intent to push development early in the 2026 campaign. The team continues to search for marginal gains as it works to close the gap to its main rivals.
Is Ferrari experimenting with cockpit airflow control
The small winglet sits ahead of the cockpit and interacts with airflow moving over the driver’s helmet and toward the engine cover. The part looks simple, but it plays a precise aerodynamic role.
Unlike traditional wings that create downforce, this device should mainly work as a flow-conditioning element. It helps guide and stabilise air as it travels over the cockpit area.
Formula 1 teams pay close attention to this region because the halo and the driver’s helmet disturb the air. Managing that airflow can help the rest of the car work more efficiently.
The halo became mandatory in Formula 1 in 2018 as a safety device. While it improved driver protection, it also changed airflow around the cockpit. Teams have spent years finding ways to reduce the aerodynamic disruption it creates.
Ferrari’s new winglet appears designed to address several airflow issues. The first goal could be to smooth the air moving around the cockpit. By guiding air around the driver’s helmet, the device reduces turbulence created by the halo structure.
The second aim might be related to reducing aerodynamic losses. Cleaner airflow in the cockpit area lowers the drag caused by chaotic air movement.
The third goal could focus on the rear of the car. With Ferrari’s innovative exhaust wing sitting at the back of the car, the new aero winglet could allow better airflow to reach the engine cover, rear wing, and diffuser and help those components operate more efficiently.
Ferrari does not expect the winglet to create meaningful downforce. Instead, it improves the quality of airflow, which can indirectly boost the car’s overall performance.
Part of Ferrari’s broader development push
The halo winglet forms just one part of Ferrari’s wider upgrade package for the Chinese Grand Prix weekend. The team has also reportedly brought a bold new rotating rear wing concept to the SF-26 in China.
The design, informally called the “Macarena wing,” rotates its upper element to cut drag on the straights under Formula 1’s new active aerodynamics rules for 2026. The system aims to improve top speed while maintaining downforce in corners.
Ferrari could be planning to test the halo winglet during the limited practice sessions available in the sprint format weekend. Engineers will compare runs with and without the device to measure its aerodynamic effect.
If the data shows a benefit, Ferrari could keep the design for future races and develop it further. On circuits like Shanghai, which combine long straights with medium-speed corners, even a small airflow improvement can affect lap time.
In modern Formula 1, a tiny part can change performance by milliseconds. Those small gains often shape the difference between a podium fight and a race win.
