Ferrari’s ADUO-2 power unit, introduced during the 2026 Italian Grand Prix weekend, represented an opportunity to reduce the gap to Red Bull and Mercedes by improving both the competitiveness of the 067/6 and the overall performance of the car. Expectations were high, but the results did not produce the hoped-for step forward. Judging by the drivers’ comments and what Ferrari achieved on track, the upgrade was unable to make the expected impact or eliminate the weaknesses compared with its direct rivals, as also emerged from the analysis of the ADUO-2 data from Monza.
The refinement of the Italian power unit had taken several months, although Ferrari was aware that homologating its fourth engine of the 2026 season should not create unrealistic expectations. There was cautious optimism within the engine department over the potential of the 067/6 Evo, but it was also understood that the gain would not amount to the 10 horsepower reported in some estimates. The real improvement was expected to be no more than roughly half that figure, a relatively small step made possible after Ferrari decided to retain the architecture of the specification introduced at the beginning of the season. Expectations surrounding the Ferrari ADUO-2 upgrade had already been treated cautiously before Monza.
Ferrari postpones larger turbo after reliability concerns
The ADUO-2 engine uses a turbocharger assembly with the same overall dimensions as before, with only detailed revisions intended to optimise its operation compared with the specification used at the opening Grand Prix. The available data therefore confirms that the debut of a larger-diameter turbo did not take place. The rumours surrounding such a development were not without foundation, however, because Ferrari’s engine department had begun work on a larger turbine, with dyno testing already under way in an attempt to improve performance. The project became particularly relevant after FIA directives reduced the advantage Ferrari had enjoyed at race starts through its smaller turbo concept.
Before Monza, however, Ferrari changed direction. Enrico Gualtieri’s engineers did not approve the larger turbo for competition, while the specification that ultimately reached the track retained the existing dimensions. That distinction had already emerged during Ferrari’s ADUO-2 testing programme ahead of Monza, when work was focused on optimising the existing turbocharger rather than introducing a completely different diameter.
It was not an easy decision. The results produced on the test bench had not been encouraging enough, with the new turbo failing to reach Ferrari’s required reliability targets. Maranello therefore postponed its introduction until 2027, when the engineers will also need to concentrate on the fluid dynamics of the internal combustion engine’s ducting, particularly on the intake side. Ferrari may have to reconsider some of the choices made around the intake trumpets that channel airflow from the plenum towards the cylinders, an area that also forms part of the wider Ferrari 2027 engine development programme.
Ferrari’s intake fluid dynamics also come under scrutiny
These components are crucial to ensuring that the engine cylinders are filled correctly and therefore have a direct influence on the power that can be generated. According to our sources, Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva may not have devoted enough attention to these elements, allowing its rivals to gain ground and contributing further to an internal-combustion-engine power deficit estimated at more than 30 horsepower.
One of the differences is believed to concern the construction of the intake trumpets themselves. Ferrari’s unit reportedly uses steel components that are not particularly aerodynamically profiled, unlike the more carefully shaped carbon-fibre solutions used by some rivals. That difference could carry a meaningful performance penalty because well-profiled composite intake trumpets are better suited to directing air towards the cylinders without generating unwanted vortices.
The benefits would not stop there. The material and internal surface finish could also help minimise friction, while carbon fibre offers thermal-insulation advantages that can help keep the incoming air cooler and denser until it reaches the cylinder, conditions that favour more effective combustion. Greater rigidity is another potential benefit, reducing the tendency of the walls to vibrate as pressure waves move through the intake system, while carbon fibre also provides an obvious weight advantage.
Ferrari therefore appears to have no shortage of work ahead as it prepares its 2027 power unit and attempts to recover performance relative to its rivals. The engineers will logically concentrate first on the areas offering the greatest potential gains, but the analysis also shows why components that may initially appear less significant can become crucial when trying to build a power unit capable of meeting Ferrari’s expectations.
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