20/09/2026
Ferrari is going through a difficult phase of the season. The team has not scored a podium since the Belgian Grand Prix and, although the SF-26 continues to show good potential at times, the development pace of its rivals, particularly McLaren, has made it increasingly difficult to fight at the front.
There is dissatisfaction at Maranello with the results delivered by the latest aerodynamic upgrades. The package introduced at Zandvoort represented only part of the originally planned developments, with Ferrari opting to postpone the more substantial floor modifications to give its aerodynamicists more time to pursue a greater performance gain.
The major upgrade package is now expected in Austin, where the SF-26 should take a more significant step forward.
On the power unit side, the ADUO-1 and ADUO-2 developments have delivered the expected results for Ferrari’s engine department. However, the grid penalty plans for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have yet to be finalised.
🇦🇿 Leclerc could take a grid penalty as early as Baku, but no decision has been made yet. Ferrari will first run the ADUO-2 ICE used at Monza during free practice to assess its condition following the issue encountered during the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Only then will the team decide whether to introduce a new unit and take the resulting grid penalty.
For Hamilton, meanwhile, a potential power unit change could come later in the season.
Ferrari is therefore approaching an important phase of the championship, aiming to manage its available resources as effectively as possible and regain competitiveness through the new aerodynamic package planned for Austin.
