Ferrari has regained rhythm, confidence and belief following the Canadian and Monaco Grands Prix, but those inside Maranello know better than anyone that Formula 1 offers little time for complacency.
Paradoxically, while Montreal was the weekend in which brake balance issues emerged as a genuine concern for the SF-26, particularly on Charles Leclerc’s side of the garage, it was also the event that marked a significant turning point for Lewis Hamilton.
The seven-time world champion appears to have found a new level of comfort with the car, helping Ferrari return to a position where it can at least begin to worry some of its rivals. It is no coincidence that rumours continue to circulate suggesting Hamilton may already be using a different brake configuration compared to his teammate.
The results reflect that positive momentum. Hamilton has finished second in each of the last two Grands Prix, while Charles Leclerc secured fourth place in Canada before suffering a retirement in his home race at Monaco, reportedly linked to the brake issues Ferrari has been trying to resolve.
The road remains long, but the focus is clear
There is little doubt that the raw pace exists. The SF-26 has shown competitive race speed and, even if it is not yet consistently capable of fighting for victories, it has generally looked stronger than most of the field.
However, Ferrari knows that looking backwards is not an option.
Mercedes remains the benchmark and currently holds an advantage in almost every key area of performance. For that reason, there is little opportunity for self-congratulation despite the encouraging progress made since the development work introduced earlier in the season.
The amount of data still to analyse and the number of areas requiring improvement remain substantial. Perhaps that is why Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has adopted such a measured approach in recent weeks.
“We arrive in Barcelona after two championship events in which we showed encouraging signs in terms of competitiveness,” Fred Vasseur said – “In Monaco and Canada we achieved good results. However, we know that there is still a lot of work to do and that we must continue focusing on ourselves. As always, we will try to maximise the potential of the car while continuing to make progress. That is our objective,” he concluded in comments published by Scuderia Ferrari.
Barcelona will provide the answers
One of the reasons Ferrari is approaching the Spanish Grand Prix with such interest is that Canada and Monaco represent two extremely unusual circuits that reveal very different strengths and weaknesses.
Montreal rewards efficiency, traction and straight-line performance, while Monaco is a unique low-speed challenge unlike anything else on the Formula 1 calendar. Barcelona, by contrast, is regarded as one of the most complete and representative circuits in the world. Its mix of high-, medium- and low-speed corners, combined with a long main straight, provides one of the clearest indicators of a car’s true level of competitiveness.
If the SF-26 can display the same positive characteristics it showed in Canada and Monaco, Ferrari will have every reason to feel encouraged.
For the Scuderia, the Spanish Grand Prix is not simply another race weekend. It is an opportunity to confirm that recent improvements are genuine, that the development direction is correct and that the gap to Mercedes can gradually be reduced over the remainder of the season.
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