Carlo Vanzini urges Ferrari reaction after Baku with 2027 already in focus

Ferrari’s Baku weekend has left further questions over where the SF-26 currently stands in Formula 1’s competitive order, with Carlo Vanzini highlighting both the car’s difficulties and the need for the Maranello team to react with 2027 already coming into view.

Speaking during Sky Sport F1’s post-race coverage of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Carlo Vanzini questioned whether Ferrari can genuinely be considered the fourth-fastest team while also pointing to the power-unit situation as an issue that should not be underestimated.

Carlo Vanzini raises Ferrari engine concern after Baku

“I don’t know whether Ferrari really is the fourth-fastest team, but the engine-related problem is there. Lewis Hamilton was never really able to get into contention and, if the situation depends on ADUO 2, then it’s an aspect that cannot be underestimated,” Carlo Vanzini said.

The assessment adds another layer to the concerns that emerged during the Azerbaijan weekend, when Ferrari continued to face questions over the technical limits of the SF-26. The broader issues surrounding the car can be followed through ScuderiaFans’ Ferrari technical analysis.

Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties in Baku also fit into the wider question of how much Ferrari can still achieve with the current project before attention increasingly turns towards the future. The seven-time world champion has already acknowledged that 2027 is becoming an increasingly important test for Ferrari.

Ferrari urged to react with 2027 already in focus

Carlo Vanzini then called on Ferrari to change pace and respond quickly, arguing that the team cannot afford to focus only on the immediate difficulties of the current season.

“It is clear that a wake-up call is needed, especially because it is already necessary to think about 2027. There is still a Constructors’ Championship to fight for: it is true that the gap to Mercedes is around 160 points, but there are still 350 available,” Carlo Vanzini added.

That leaves Ferrari balancing two priorities: trying to maximise what remains possible in the current Constructors’ Championship while ensuring that the lessons from the SF-26 are carried into the next project. The remaining mathematical scenarios can be explored through the F1 Championship Points Calculator.