Ferrari prepares third SF-26 upgrade package: Zandvoort target as Mercedes faces development setback. Ferrari targets third major SF-26 upgrade package as Mercedes development slows.

Ferrari is already working on the third major upgrade package for the SF-26, with the latest developments expected to arrive later this season. Meanwhile, questions are beginning to emerge over whether Mercedes has hit a temporary slowdown in its development programme.

The Maranello-based team continues to push aggressively on the upgrade front, with engineers already focused on the third significant package of the year. Here’s the race where Ferrari is expected to introduce it, while Mercedes appears to be dealing with a more complicated situation regarding the evolution of its W17.

Ferrari’s development continues after strong gains

Thanks to the upgrade packages introduced in Miami and Spain, the SF-26 has reportedly gained around seven to eight tenths of a second in performance. It has been a remarkable step forward, further refined through smaller circuit-specific updates that allow Ferrari to extract the maximum potential from the package.

The Austrian Grand Prix proved more challenging because the high altitude prevented the team from fully exploiting the ADUO 1 power unit. Ferrari also paid the price for a setup that placed too much emphasis on front-end performance. At Silverstone, however, the team returned to the aggressive hybrid deployment map first seen in Spain, while also further reducing aerodynamic drag.

That combination allowed the Ferrari to reach top speeds that were almost identical to Mercedes, supported by a highly efficient energy management strategy throughout the lap. The latest developments are estimated to have delivered an additional 15 kW of performance, and Ferrari is already looking ahead to its next major upgrade package.

Third major upgrade package expected after the summer break

According to information reported by Rosario Giuliana for AutoRacer.it, the SF-26 still has considerable room for improvement, especially with the future introduction of the ADUO 2 power unit upgrade. The next step on the engine side is expected to focus on the internal combustion engine, particularly the turbocharger, with that package potentially arriving at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

On the aerodynamic side, Loic Serra’s technical team is already developing the third major upgrade package, which Ferrari is aiming to introduce after the summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. That is currently the target set by the Maranello factory.

Mercedes, on the other hand, appears to have different priorities. Following the latest issues suffered by Kimi Antonelli—who endured another frustrating weekend after Barcelona—it has become increasingly clear that the Anglo-German team still has several reliability concerns to address.

Kimi Antonelli‘s W17 would almost certainly have been capable of winning the British Grand Prix, but Ferrari was unexpectedly in the fight on a circuit that, at least on paper, was not expected to suit the SF-26. The young Italian suffered damage to the wheel corner after running over the kerb on the exit of Copse and eventually finished 16th after receiving a track limits penalty.

Despite Silverstone being located just a short distance from Mercedes’ Brackley headquarters, the team did not introduce any new upgrades during the weekend. Some new components could make their debut in Belgium, but the next major evolution is expected only after the summer break, with Mercedes seemingly choosing to avoid “forcing” the pace of development for the time being.