F1 Ferrari: engine and setup concerns in Miami, but does the SF-26 hide more performance?

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]Ferrari had been expecting a significant step forward at the restart of the Formula 1 Championship, but unfortunately, the general impression emerging after the Miami Grand Prix weekend is that McLaren and Red Bull have made greater progress in terms of overall performance gains and race execution.

[00:00:16]The question now being discussed inside the paddock is whether this is truly a reflection of pure performance or whether fans and analysts will see a more competitive version of the SF-26 at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix as the Maranello engineers and technicians continue their broader development push toward a potential return to victory in Monte Carlo later in the season. So, what was the real reason behind Ferrari's underperformance in Miami?

[00:00:41]Data analyzed by technical experts and performance engineers points primarily to a lack of engine power from the Ferrari power unit. This is a well-known limitation for the engineers in Maranello, who are actively working to reduce the gap to the Mercedes six-cylinder power unit. The current development direction includes the use of the ADUO, better known as the additional development and upgrade opportunity system, a regulatory mechanism granted by the FIA that allows manufacturers to introduce specific performance upgrades under controlled conditions. One development opportunity is granted if the gap exceeds 2% in power compared to the reference unit, and two opportunities are granted if the gap exceeds 4%. According to several paddock commentators and analysts following GPS and telemetry data, the horsepower deficit would have reached around 30 horsepower in race trim, although internal Ferrari figures suggest a more contained gap of approximately 21 to 22 horsepower. The target set internally by Enrico Gualtieri and his power unit department is to cut this difference by at least half over the coming upgrade cycle.

[00:01:43]After the Canadian Grand Prix, the FIA will officially confirm which manufacturers are eligible for ADUO development, after which the governing body will authorize the relevant upgrade paths and technical interventions. In reality, development work at Maranello is already well advanced and progressing in parallel with the racing program.

[00:02:02]Modifications to the Ferrari 067/6 power unit have already been designed and partially validated through simulation work with a clear focus on improving combustion chamber efficiency in order to enhance performance at higher engine revs, particularly in qualifying and long straight line sections. It is also highly likely that additional changes will be introduced to the turbo system, not in terms of overall size, but rather in the number of compressor blades and the precise angle of the turbine wheel, both of which influence energy recovery and throttle response. The new upgraded package is expected to debut with the third power unit of the season, which is likely to be introduced earlier than originally planned at the Belgian Grand Prix on July 19th, especially considering that power unit number two was already officially used in Miami, while unit one will now be reserved primarily for free practice sessions and controlled mileage accumulation. Setting aside Charles Leclerc's late race mistake and Lewis Hamilton's issues from the opening lap following his contact with Franco Colapinto, it is still clear from the data that the SF26 driven by Charles Leclerc was the fastest car during the opening phase of the race, specifically in the first 12 laps, where it demonstrated strong, consistent, and controlled race pace, particularly in medium speed corner sequences and traction zones out of slow corners.

[00:03:21]However, after the safety car period, the overall performance of the Ferrari SF26 changed significantly. The car became increasingly vulnerable in race conditions, and Lando Norris was able to take advantage of the situation without major difficulty, ultimately taking control of the Grand Prix.

[00:03:39]Post-race telemetry and data analysis confirm that the updated aerodynamic and mechanical package introduced by Ferrari in Florida has been internally validated and considered a step forward, although it remains under evaluation whether it was more or less effective compared to the updates brought by McLaren and Red Bull during the same development window.

[00:03:58]What is clear, however, is that something changed in the behavior of the SF-26 on track after the restart, affecting consistency and balance.

[00:04:07]Charles Leclerc was forced to rely heavily on his driving ability and tire management skills in an attempt to defend at least a podium position, right up until his eventual mistake, as he tried to compensate for the limitations of the car by pushing beyond its stable operating window.

[00:04:23]The root cause of Ferrari's drop in performance appears to be linked to an imperfect setup decision made before the race.

[00:04:30]Ferrari engineers may have been influenced by the potential threat of rain and changing track conditions in Miami, but as a consequence of this compromise, the rear tires dropped out of their optimal operating window and began to overheat.

[00:04:44]This situation was made more complex by the safety car period, during which tire temperatures dropped significantly, requiring several laps of intense laps to bring them back into the correct performance range. As a result of this temperature fluctuation, the SF-26 began to slide more aggressively, losing the traction advantage that had been generated by a relatively stable rear end.

[00:05:05]This stability had previously been one of the key strengths of the Ferrari package, allowing the car to generate high aerodynamic load levels through a complex aerodynamic concept, including the FTM system. This system, combined with the blown exhaust architecture, helps improve airflow extraction from the diffuser area and increases the overall efficiency of the rear wing, especially in high-speed stability phases and corner exit traction. Miami, therefore, exposed several structural and operational weaknesses in Ferrari's current package. The Mercedes W17 remains the reference benchmark in terms of overall efficiency and consistency across different track conditions, but both McLaren and Red Bull have clearly closed the gap, having solved their development correlation issues earlier and more effectively than Ferrari during this phase of the season.

[00:05:53]Team principal Frederic Vasseur had originally viewed the American Grand Prix, coming after a long break in the calendar, as a kind of reset point for Ferrari's 2025 campaign.

[00:06:03]But once again, the Scuderia did not appear to have extracted the full theoretical potential from the SF-26 car developed under the technical leadership of Loic Serra. Importantly, Ferrari should not expect immediate performance miracles from the revised power unit development under the ADUO framework.

[00:06:21]Even with the expected improvements in combustion efficiency and turbo response, the gap to the Mercedes M17 e-performance power unit will only be reduced by approximately half, rather than being fully closed. This means that Ferrari will still need to rely heavily on chassis efficiency, tire management, and aerodynamic stability to compete at the front consistently. The Italian side must therefore continue to rely on the inherent strengths of its car concept, which at this stage have not been abandoned or fundamentally questioned within the organization.

[00:06:52]The upcoming Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal will serve as a key reference point to better understand what exactly went wrong in Miami, particularly in terms of tire behavior and setup execution. While the Monaco Grand Prix, where power unit differences are significantly less influential due to the circuit characteristics, could offer a realistic opportunity for Ferrari to strike back and potentially secure a strong result that keeps their championship ambitions aligned with pre-season expectations. Meanwhile, the long-term development program for the internal project known as the 679 is already underway and continues without interruption or delay, forming part of Ferrari's broader strategic road map for future regulatory cycles.

[00:07:32]The Maranello team must gradually build more certainty regarding the technical direction to follow in the coming seasons, moving beyond what Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna previously described as the first encouraging signs of progress under the new regulations and translating those signs into consistent on track performance and ultimately race victories. Overall, the Miami Grand Prix highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of Ferrari's current SF26 package in a very clear way.

[00:08:00]While there were moments that showed strong underlying pace, especially in the early phases of the race, the overall result was heavily influenced by a combination of setup choices, tire temperature management, and a still evident engine power deficit compared to key rivals.

[00:08:15]Ferrari's ability to consistently extract the full potential from its upgrades while improving operational execution across different race conditions will be crucial in determining whether it can realistically return to fighting for victories on a regular basis.