Charles Leclerc is taking a proactive approach to maximize the performance of Ferrari’s SF-26 by assembling a private team dedicated to analyzing the car’s Power Unit data. The move comes amid concerns over the gap in power output between Ferrari’s engine and Mercedes’ W17, which currently sits at roughly 25 horsepower after the first three races of the 2026 season. While this deficit is notable, Ferrari engineers believe it can be reduced through a combination of software refinement and targeted mechanical upgrades.
Ferrari focuses on engine software and ADUO updates
Inside Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters, there is optimism that a new energy management software update could be a game-changer. The current algorithm has room for improvement, with the potential to recover some of the lost horsepower that has hindered performance on long straights. In addition, adjustments to the ADUO are expected to provide further incremental gains. The Scuderia plans to implement this upgraded “new” engine package after the Canadian Grand Prix, most likely debuting it in Barcelona.
The overarching goal of these developments is to narrow the performance gap between the SF-26 and Mercedes’ W17. By boosting top-end power, Ferrari hopes to give Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton a stronger chance to consistently challenge for race wins and podiums, keeping them competitive through to the final laps of each Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc forms private team to dissect engine data
Charles Leclerc is leaving no stone unturned in his pursuit of maximum performance. According to industry insider Federico Albano, the Monegasque driver has gathered a personal squad of technical experts, including some consultants from outside Ferrari, to examine the Power Unit data in detail. The objective is to identify ways to extract every possible horsepower and optimize energy deployment strategies ahead of upcoming races.
This initiative comes after frustrations expressed by Charles Leclerc at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, where he openly questioned the effects of superclipping on Ferrari’s performance. The sudden power drops on the straights had been a point of contention for the driver, motivating him to utilize the April break effectively. By working closely with his private team, Charles Leclerc aims to return to the track in Miami fully prepared to challenge the leading duo of Andrea Antonelli and George Russell, giving Lewis Hamilton and himself the best possible tools to fight for victories.
Strategic impact on championship battles
With these efforts, Charles Leclerc is signaling that the battle at the front of the grid is far from decided. Ferrari’s combination of software improvements, mechanical fine-tuning, and driver-led analysis is designed to ensure that both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton can extract the maximum potential from the SF-26. The strategy underlines the importance of integrating driver insight with engineering development, potentially turning what is currently a 25-horsepower deficit into a competitive advantage as the season progresses.
Super clipping is unpopular and creates genuine safety risks, but it is the mechanism currently allowing F1 to recharge rapidly without the MGU-H—an expensive component with no future in road car production. Every problem has a solution, and that is exactly what the teams, manufacturers, and the FIA will be working on during this April hiatus.
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