Mercedes overhauls floor and sidepods for Bahrain GP to extend 2026 championship lead

Mercedes has introduced a wide-ranging technical update to its W17 ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, debuting a vastly reworked floor and new sidepod bodywork as the team looks to consolidate its lead in both the 2026 drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

The W17 has been the dominant car of the 2026 season so far, though Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull have each offered intermittent challenges. None has mounted a sustained threat to Mercedes in either standings, yet the Silver Arrows are pressing ahead with development regardless.

The floor revisions are the most extensive element of the package, touching the floor board, leading edge, rear corner, and the main underbody area including the diffuser zone. The floor board itself has been noticeably reworked: the upper slat now carries a lower leading edge, and two new vertical pieces sit behind it to better manage the wake shed off the front tyre. These guide airflow outwards while the horizontal elements continue to flick air upwards, clearing the tyre wake and allowing cleaner flow to reach the sidepods.

On the sidepods, Mercedes has moved away from the undercut geometry it has used since the start of the season — a design since adopted by rival teams — in favour of a ramped profile along the top surface. The previous undercut prioritised inwash flow around the Coke bottle section of the car; the new ramp retains that inwash characteristic but simultaneously pulls flow downwards to enhance downwash towards the top of the diffuser. The intended effect is an increased pressure differential between the diffuser’s top surface and the air within the diffuser volume, translating directly into higher downforce.

The team has also revised the rear suspension fairings and the winglets inside the rear wheel drums to complement the floor and sidepod changes, with the combined goal of improving overall rear-end downforce.

This represents Mercedes’ first large-scale update package since May’s Canadian Grand Prix, with the team having deliberately delayed its build schedule ahead of the Bahrain round.