Ferrari has made significant improvements in the use of its hybrid energy system in the Shanghai weekend, and this enhancement was particularly visible and measurable during the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix, which took place yesterday. The improvements were noticeable in how the energy deployment strategy was managed, showing a more effective utilization of the car’s hybrid system. However, despite these positive developments, a gap still remains in the internal combustion engine portion of Ferrari’s power unit, particularly in the third sector of the Shanghai International Circuit, highlighting that Mercedes’ advantage still partially resides in the performance of its internal combustion engine. This specific edge allows the Mercedes team from Brackley to carry a significant amount of pace into qualifying sessions, a gap which tends to shrink once the race unfolds over the full race distance.
When considering overall performance, it is clear that Mercedes currently has a power advantage over Ferrari, particularly on the straights, even though Ferrari’s SF-26 remains a highly competitive car from both a mechanical and aerodynamic perspective. In other words, while the Mercedes engine provides a clear speed benefit, the Ferrari chassis and aerodynamic package are highly refined, making it a very strong platform in corners and overall vehicle balance.
It is also important to clarify that Mercedes’ telemetry data is not completely perfect. In fact, it appears that the transponder responsible for recording some of the data was not functioning optimally, an issue that also occurred during Friday’s practice sessions. Despite this, the primary takeaway from analyzing the telemetry is that the data confirms Mercedes’ advantage on the straights, although it is not as extreme as it appeared on Friday. This shows that even with slight uncertainties in the data, Mercedes’ pace advantage remains evident but can fluctuate slightly depending on conditions.
Ferrari’s step forward is primarily linked to improvements in software optimization, which allows the car to deploy engine power more efficiently and smoothly across the circuit. The benefits of Ferrari’s SF-26 were particularly noticeable on the second straight of the Shanghai track, the section that runs from Turn 4 to Turn 5. In this area, Mercedes still managed to achieve a top speed advantage of fourteen kilometers per hour over the car driven by Lewis Hamilton. This illustrates that while Ferrari has made progress in hybrid energy management and efficiency, there remains a clear gap in absolute straight-line performance compared to Mercedes.
When looking at lap-time differences, Kimi Antonelli maintained a clear advantage that Lewis Hamilton could not fully recover. In the subsequent high-speed section of the track, where the contribution from the electric component of the power unit slightly decreases, but the energy deployment is still significant, Kimi Antonelli gained an additional six kilometers per hour over the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton. On the main straight, which is over eight hundred meters long in sector three, Ferrari only gains three kilometers per hour, but this small advantage remains consistent throughout the entire period of throttle clipping, showing a steady performance in this phase.
The timing of energy deployment begins simultaneously for both cars, and Mercedes is able to carry this advantage all the way up to the braking zone of Turn 14. In this scenario, the performance gain largely comes from the internal combustion engine, since once clipping begins, the gap between the two cars remains steady and consistent. Aerodynamic drag also has a role to play, but in this area, the two cars are very closely matched, demonstrating that Ferrari’s aerodynamic efficiency is strong, even when compared to the Mercedes.
Another key element to highlight is the SF-26’s exceptional cornering capability and how well it manages traction and energy deployment in bends. This can be observed through both the average cornering speeds and the smoothness with which Lewis Hamilton applies the throttle. He is able to maintain a higher percentage of accelerator input before reaching full throttle, without losing the necessary graduality. This explains why Ferrari’s traction phase remains consistently strong throughout different sections of the track, contributing to competitive lap times even in corners where straight-line speed is a limiting factor.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc: different hybrid usage converging in the same direction
Looking at Ferrari’s two drivers in more detail, the data shows that their performance is broadly similar, but with some notable distinctions worth emphasizing. Charles Leclerc tends to use slightly more hybrid energy along the straight from Turn 4 to Turn 5 and through the long sweeping Turn 7-8, allowing him to gain three to five kilometers per hour over Lewis Hamilton in these specific sections. Conversely, Lewis Hamilton uses more of his hybrid deployment in the short straight leading to Turn 11, gaining approximately six kilometers per hour over Charles Leclerc. In the brief segment just before the final corner, Charles Leclerc then manages to recover about ten kilometers per hour over Lewis Hamilton, demonstrating how both drivers strategically use the hybrid energy differently to maximize their respective performance in various parts of the track. Aside from these variations, their cornering patterns and driving lines are virtually identical. The only other significant difference is in sector three, where Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, gains the very small margins needed to edge ahead of his teammate, maintaining a crucial competitive advantage in qualifying.
From a driving perspective, including speed, cornering ability, and overall lap consistency, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc demonstrated highly comparable performance during the qualifying session. This is a very positive sign for Ferrari, as it indicates that both drivers’ cars are converging towards the same overall setup philosophy. This convergence means that Ferrari’s development and technical improvements throughout the season are likely to benefit both drivers equally, providing a more balanced platform for future performance. Furthermore, it is noteworthy to see them allowed to race freely in both the sprint race and the main race, dueling against each other without interference or team orders. This free competition between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc serves as an important indicator of internal competitiveness and the team’s confidence in both drivers’ professionalism.
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