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RacingNews365: McLaren brings eight updates to Baku, Red Bull five

McLaren and Red Bull are both bringing aerodynamic updates to Baku, but with different areas of emphasis. According to RacingNews365, McLaren is changing its bodywork, floor and rear wing, among other elements; Red Bull’s package focuses mainly on the floor and sidepod.

GPBeat · Newsroom24 Sept 2026, 08:38 · 2 min

The two teams are trying to improve their cars for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix through interrelated aerodynamic changes. Samuel Coop describes the packages at RacingNews365 on 24 September 2026, based on the FIA car presentation documents submitted by the teams. McLaren reports eight updates, Red Bull five.

McLaren links bodywork, floor and suspension

At McLaren, a revised sidepod inlet and engine cover are intended to channel air more effectively towards the rear of the car. The team also has an alternative sidepod shape available. These changes are linked to revisions to the floor edge and diffuser. New fairings around the rear suspension are then intended to take advantage of the altered airflow.

McLaren is also adapting its rear wing specifically for Baku. A different flap position in straight-line mode is intended to allow a greater reduction in drag. The package therefore includes both changes to the airflow around the car and a circuit-specific wing revision.

Red Bull builds around the floor

Red Bull’s focus is on new floor and diffuser shapes. The aim is to generate more aerodynamic load locally without losing airflow stability.

A revised junction between the sidepod and floor supports that design. The cooling louvres are also changing to match the new bodywork. Further changes to the mirror assembly and halo fairing are intended to improve airflow towards the rear and support the floor package.

According to the same publication, Mercedes and Ferrari have not submitted any updates for the Baku weekend. The same applies to Aston Martin, Haas and Alpine.

Eight changes versus five do not in themselves tell us which team is taking the bigger step. The benefits described are design aims: RacingNews365 gives no measured lap-time gain or other performance data that would establish the effect of either package.

Sources 01

SOURCEMcLaren and Red Bull make aggressive moves for crunch Baku showdownRacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-09-24

Source context

Based on a single RacingNews365 article. The FIA submissions cited in it have not been consulted directly; independent confirmation is lacking.

Claims and supporting evidence 7

Writing at RacingNews365 on 24 September 2026, Samuel Coop reports eight updates for McLaren and five for Red Bull at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, based on the FIA car presentation submissions. McLaren’s changes cover the sidepod, engine cover, floor, diffuser, rear suspension and rear wing. Red Bull’s package focuses mainly on the floor and sidepod.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. Scale and provenance of the reported update packages. Ahead of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The figures refer to reported updates, not a measure of their scale or effect. The FIA documents themselves have not been read.

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According to RacingNews365, McLaren’s revised sidepod inlet and engine cover are intended to improve airflow towards the rear of the car. An alternative sidepod shape is also available. The changes are combined with a revised floor edge and diffuser; modified rear suspension fairings are intended to exploit the aerodynamic benefits of the new airflow conditions.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. The relationship between McLaren’s bodywork and floor changes. Update package for Baku, September 2026. These are stated design aims. The source does not demonstrate how much benefit the combination actually delivers.

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RacingNews365 also reports a circuit-specific change to McLaren’s rear wing: an alternative flap position in straight-line mode is intended to allow a greater reduction in drag.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. McLaren’s circuit-specific rear wing change. 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The source gives no measured drag reduction or speed gain and does not specify the basis of comparison any further.

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According to RacingNews365, Red Bull’s new floor and diffuser geometries are aimed at generating additional local aerodynamic load while maintaining airflow stability. A modified junction between the sidepod and floor supports those changes; revised cooling louvres match the new bodywork. Changes to the mirror assembly and halo fairing are intended to improve airflow further towards the rear and support the additional load generated by the floor package.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. Red Bull’s floor, diffuser and supporting bodywork changes. Update package for Baku, September 2026. The additional load and improved airflow are described as technical aims, not independently measured results.

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RacingNews365 reports that Mercedes and Ferrari have not submitted any updates for the Baku weekend. According to the article, the same applies to Aston Martin, Haas and Alpine.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. Teams with no submitted updates. 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend. Not submitting updates for this event does not mean these teams have halted their development work. The source gives no reasons for their choice.

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Excluding McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari, Audi has the largest submitted package among the seven remaining teams, according to RacingNews365. It includes changes to the front wing and nose, suspension fairings, floor, halo and engine cover bodywork, components around the brake cooling, beam wing, rear wing and endplates, among other elements. According to the article, Audi says the new floor is designed to provide a consistent increase in aerodynamic load.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. Audi among the seven remaining teams. Update packages for Baku, September 2026. ‘Largest’ applies here only within the stated group of seven teams. The article does not give a total number of updates for Audi. The intended increase in load is a team claim reported through RacingNews365, not a measured result.

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RacingNews365 reports five updates for Williams, including a new floor and changes to the rear bodywork, bodywork around the front wheels, rear suspension fairings and components around the rear brake cooling. Racing Bulls has three changes: a new front wing, a revised brake cooling duct with a front lip and modified front suspension profiles. Cadillac is changing the geometry of the front-wheel brake cooling, the front suspension fairings and a winglet near the diffuser.

This source finding should be read within the stated scope and source context. Other reported technical changes. 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The source gives no comparable performance measurements for these packages. No explicit total number of updates is given for Cadillac.

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This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.