McLaren and Red Bull make aggressive moves for crunch Baku showdown

McLaren and Red Bull have revealed extensive upgrade packages for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Mercedes and Ferrari have opted against introducing any new parts for the Baku City Circuit.

The FIA's car presentation submissions show McLaren has brought eight updates for the event, with changes spanning its sidepod, engine cover, floor, diffuser, rear suspension and rear wing.

Red Bull has five updates, primarily centred on its floor and sidepod, as the leading teams prepare for the latest challenge of the 2026 season. 

McLaren's revised sidepod inlet and engine cover have been introduced to improve flow conditioning towards the rear of the car, with an alternative sidepod shape also available.

The team has paired those changes with a revised floor edge and diffuser, while its rear suspension fairings have been modified to maximise the aerodynamic benefits of the new flow conditions.

The Woking-based squad has also made a circuit-specific change to its rear wing, with an alternative flap position in straight-line mode designed to deliver a larger reduction in drag. 

Red Bull's package is led by revised floor and diffuser geometries, with the team targeting additional local load while maintaining flow stability.

The sidepod has been altered with a new junction to the floor to complement those changes, while revised cooling louvres accommodate the new bodywork.

Further changes to the mirror assembly and halo fairing are intended to improve downstream flow conditioning and support the additional load generated by the revised floor package.

Mercedes and Ferrari, meanwhile, have submitted no updates for the Baku weekend.

The fight in the midfield

Among the other seven teams, Audi has submitted the largest package, with changes covering the front wing and nose, front suspension covers, floor, halo and engine cover bodywork, rear suspension and brake duct furniture, plus the beam wing, rear wing and endplates. The team says the new floor is designed to deliver a consistent load increase.

Williams has introduced five updates, including a new floor, revised tail, front-corner bodywork, rear suspension cladding and rear brake duct furniture.

Racing Bulls has three changes, with a new front wing, revised brake duct and front lip, and profile changes to the front suspension aimed at improving flow conditioning.

Cadillac has revised its front-corner brake cooling geometry, front suspension fairings and diffuser winglet, while Aston Martin, Haas and Alpine have submitted no updates for Baku.