Ralf Schumacher believes Ferrari has addressed one of the SF-26’s most damaging weaknesses at exactly the right time, with lower aerodynamic drag and a new power unit giving Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc greater reason for optimism ahead of the 2026 Italian Grand Prix. The former Formula 1 driver expects the Scuderia to be competitive at Monza after seeing its recent development work produce a better compromise between downforce and straight-line efficiency.
Ferrari has chosen its home Grand Prix to introduce the final power unit that Hamilton and Leclerc can add to their 2026 pools without triggering a grid penalty. The latest specification is said to provide approximately 15 additional horsepower, while Ferrari expects the overall improvement to be worth around two tenths of a second per lap at Monza. The planned 15hp Ferrari engine step for Monza therefore arrives at one of the circuits where extra straight-line performance can have its clearest impact.
Ralf Schumacher believes Ferrari has reduced the SF-26 drag problem
The power-unit development is only part of the reason Schumacher is optimistic. Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, he argued that Ferrari has now eliminated the aerodynamic shortcomings that previously left the SF-26 carrying too much downforce and drag. In his assessment, the Maranello engineers have found a significantly better balance between the two.
That improvement is particularly relevant at Monza. The long straights reward cars that can minimise resistance, while excessive drag can quickly erase the benefits of strong cornering performance or additional engine power. Ferrari has consequently developed an evolved low-downforce SF-26 package for the Italian Grand Prix as it attempts to tailor the car more closely to the Temple of Speed.
Schumacher also suggested that the combination of greater horsepower and Ferrari racing on home ground should help the team, adding that familiarity with Monza could work in its favour. More broadly, he believes Formula 1 would benefit from seeing the Scuderia capable of fighting at the very front.
Ferrari has gone even further in its search for efficiency by modifying the FTM rather than simply retaining or removing it. The revised SF-26 FTM specification for Monza uses a new slot to reduce the element’s aerodynamic contribution and drag penalty, another indication of how heavily the team has prioritised straight-line efficiency for this weekend.
Ferrari gains an opportunity as Kimi Antonelli takes a grid penalty
Ferrari’s prospects are also helped by a setback for one of Mercedes’ drivers. Andrea Kimi Antonelli is set to receive a grid penalty at his home Grand Prix after Mercedes elected to introduce a new engine that takes the Italian beyond his permitted allocation for the 2026 season.
Mercedes has confirmed that Antonelli is due to start the Italian Grand Prix from the back of the grid as a consequence of the penalty, indicating that several power-unit components are being changed. That leaves George Russell carrying the main responsibility for Mercedes’ challenge against Ferrari at the front of the field.
The timing gives Hamilton and Leclerc an opportunity to capitalise, although Ferrari still faces a significant technical challenge against the championship-leading strengths of Mercedes. Hamilton has already discussed how important the new specification could be after explaining that the SF-26 has suffered from a sizeable power deficit at points this season. His assessment of Ferrari’s power weakness and the latest Monza engine underlines why this weekend has become such an important test.
More horsepower may not solve Ferrari’s biggest Monza concern
Even if the new power unit produces the expected gain, outright combustion-engine performance may not be enough to put Ferrari in position to win. Mercedes’ battery management has been one of its major advantages during the 2026 campaign, and the Scuderia is aware that energy management could become particularly difficult at Monza.
The Italian circuit’s exceptionally long full-throttle sections make battery replenishment more complicated, increasing the risk of significant clipping before the end of the straights. That creates a situation in which simply having more horsepower does not automatically translate into superior performance throughout the lap.
Ferrari is also reportedly relying on artificial intelligence to help create its battery-management strategy for Monza, with energy deployment having been one of the major concerns surrounding the 2026 generation of Formula 1 power units. The wider competitive picture has already been highlighted by the FIA ADUO performance rankings, which underline the importance of extracting gains across the complete power-unit package rather than focusing on combustion power alone.
This is where Schumacher’s emphasis on lower drag becomes especially significant. If the SF-26 requires less energy to reach and sustain high speeds, Ferrari can reduce some of the burden placed on its power unit and electrical deployment. For Hamilton and Leclerc, improved aerodynamic efficiency could therefore complement the additional horsepower rather than merely provide a separate top-speed gain.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton chase Ferrari history at Monza
Ferrari’s recent history at the Italian Grand Prix also gives the team reason to approach the weekend with confidence. Charles Leclerc delivered its most recent Monza victory in 2024, securing his second Italian Grand Prix win after his celebrated success there in 2019.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, has the opportunity to achieve something Ferrari has not seen from a British driver for more than six decades. A victory would make him the first Briton to win the Italian Grand Prix for the Scuderia since John Surtees triumphed at Monza in 1964 on his way to the Formula 1 World Championship.
The ingredients for a stronger Ferrari challenge are therefore in place, but the decisive question is whether the team can combine them effectively. The additional horsepower, reduced drag and revised aerodynamic configuration should all improve the SF-26’s suitability for Monza, while battery management remains a potential limitation on the circuit’s long straights.
Schumacher nevertheless believes Ferrari has made the critical aerodynamic progress required to become more competitive. Monza will now provide the clearest test yet of whether those changes can translate into a genuine fight at the front during the 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend.
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