Ferrari is preparing to go all-in at Monza with its second ADUO development opportunity of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with the latest estimate confirming an expected power gain of between 12 and 15 horsepower. The Italian Grand Prix will therefore become an important test of the SF-26’s ambitions, particularly at a circuit where power unit performance can play a significant role.
The Maranello team is set to use the second ADUO opportunity available to it this year, allowing another intervention on the power unit to increase performance. The concession became possible following the FIA’s power unit performance estimates released around the Monaco Grand Prix, which showed Ferrari trailing the Red Bull power unit by more than four per cent.
Ferrari goes all-in at Monza with ADUO-2
Ferrari introduced its first developments in Austria, where the increase in power was approximately five horsepower. That improvement was also helped by the introduction of a new fuel specification developed by Ferrari’s supplier Shell.
The step planned for Monza, however, is expected to be significantly larger. The latest issue of Autosprint confirms what had previously been anticipated by AutoRacer.it: there has been a genuine race against time at Maranello to have the ADUO-2 power units ready for Monza, with the estimated gain now standing at between 12 and 15 horsepower.
Ferrari ADUO-2 expected to deliver 12–15 hp gain
The size of the expected improvement makes ADUO-2 one of Ferrari’s most important developments for its home Grand Prix. Monza’s characteristics naturally place a premium on straight-line performance, making the Italian weekend an especially significant opportunity to assess whether the latest power unit step can help the SF-26 close the gap to its rivals.
Ferrari is also preparing a broader Monza-specific SF-26 package, adding further importance to a weekend that could provide a clearer indication of the car’s competitive potential during the final part of the 2026 season.
Why more power alone will not transform Ferrari’s 2026 season
The 2026 Formula 1 championship has already demonstrated that outright power is secondary to effective energy management. Otherwise, Red Bull would not still be without a victory despite the strength of its power unit.
Even so, Ferrari can reasonably expect the upgraded SF-26 to move closer to the performance level of the rival power units that have made a difference during the season. With an estimated 12–15 horsepower improvement available from ADUO-2, the Italian Grand Prix is shaping up as a genuine test of Ferrari’s progress and its ambitions in front of the Tifosi.
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