F1 | Ferrari lagging on 2026 power unit and facing major budget losses after a disastrous 2025. Ferrari is reportedly behind schedule on its 2026 F1 engine.

Ferrari appears to be running behind schedule on its 2026 power unit while also facing the need to recover several million dollars lost after a disappointing 2025 campaign. With less than seven days remaining before the season is officially archived, the sense of relief among the Tifosi is almost palpable. The year now coming to an end has been one of the most complicated of recent times for a Ferrari outfit that, just weeks away from 2026, is still working on the engine and dealing with a budget heavily affected by the collapse of its championship ambitions.

Indeed, less than twelve months ago, the conversation revolved around a Ferrari ready to fight for dominance in both the drivers’ and constructors’ standings. Yet less than a year later, the situation has completely reversed. The battle for the title is now a three-way fight between the McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen, while the team led by Frédéric Vasseur is officially fourth in the standings, trailing even Mercedes and Red Bull.

And this result will not impact morale alone. Beyond the disappointment spreading through the corridors of Maranello, Ferrari’s budget will also be significantly affected by the 2025 collapse. Losing second place in the constructors’ championship will result in a reduction of roughly eighteen million dollars compared to what the team earned in 2024. These are numbers that certainly make an impact for a company led by John Elkann, and they highlight the current state of the Scuderia.

And there is growing concern about the engine

Furthermore, according to what Fulvio Soms reported by the Italian daily newspaper Corriere dello Sport, the engineers at Maranello are increasingly worried when it comes to the 2026 power unit. The Prancing Horse’s technical department is said to be behind the initial development schedule—an issue also affecting the factories of other engine manufacturers. In this scenario, only Mercedes may be feeling slightly less pressure, given their long-standing expertise in designing and developing this type of power unit.

Of course, it will take several more months before we have a clear idea of the competitive order on the grid. Only in April, once five races have been completed and twelve months have passed since development of the SF-25 officially ended, will we understand whether the new regulatory cycle will allow Ferrari to return to the front or if the outlook will be far less encouraging.

For now, the mood inside Maranello is one of damage limitation on every level: sporting, financial and technical. Abu Dhabi can’t come soon enough.