Ferrari finds itself chasing Mercedes, with an engine performance gap that must be closed as soon as possible if it wants to fight for the world title. There is, however, a crucial mistake that must not be made, alongside an important verdict regarding the ADUO system.
The Prancing Horse is preparing to enter a highly important month that could also determine the fate of the 2026 season. Ferrari must avoid an error that could prove extremely costly, while an important ruling on ADUO has also emerged.
April becomes the most important month for Ferrari. The cancellation of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain leads to a longer championship calendar, creating a gap in the schedule that can be used to focus heavily on development work. Mercedes has dominated so far but is not unbeatable, as the SF-26 shows qualities that are in some areas even superior to the Brackley car. However, the engine gap is difficult to recover. The current Maranello Power Unit includes provisional ICE components, and engineers are already working on a completely new unit designed to deliver more power. For now, Ferrari is focusing on aerodynamic upgrades, but could the confirmation of ADUO really be the key?
April tests and the fear of making mistakes again, Antonelli confirms ADUO
As seen, Ferrari used the Mugello circuit for TPC testing, running the SF-25 on April 1 and 2 in a two-day session with Antonio Giovinazzi, Antonio Fuoco, and Arthur Leclerc taking turns behind the wheel. In a couple of days, as reported by AutoRacer.it, the SF-26 will instead take to the track in Fiorano on a wet surface, with either Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton at the wheel. The team led by Frédéric Vasseur has decided to update almost half of the car, with a strong focus on the “Macarena” front wing, which would be crucial to have available in Miami.
The effectiveness of the package will be seen at the American round. It is expected to aim at reducing drag and increasing aerodynamic efficiency while maintaining current downforce levels. Before heading to Florida, however, the upgrades will be evaluated in a 200 km filming day at Monza on April 22. Making a mistake with these upgrades would be fatal. Have past mistakes truly taught anything? That remains to be seen. The Monza circuit is also ideal for optimising energy usage on tracks with long straights and high energy demands. The reverse wing specification could also debut in its updated version, although factory testing continues. It should be remembered that the deadline was set for Canada.
Speaking about the new engine, which could debut around rounds 12–13 of the 2026 season or in 2027, the FIA has officially granted ADUO to Ferrari, a system that allows manufacturers to develop the Power Unit in order to recover horsepower. This was revealed by Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli: “There will be big changes, including ADUO granted to Ferrari. This will allow them to develop the engine and they will definitely get much closer. Their car is already strong, so if they also improve the engine, they will close the gap even further.”
Of course, rivals will not stand still, but this is the only approach to becoming a threat again.
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