Ferrari under pressure as rivals prepare major upgrades for Canada
At the beginning of May, Formula 1 returned to action after a lengthy break following the opening three races of the 2026 season. During that period, teams worked intensively on developing their cars, and Ferrari was, in fact, one of the teams that evolved its SF-26 most aggressively across multiple areas, with the clear ambition of challenging Mercedes at the front.
To do that, the Scuderia introduced the so-called “Macarena” front wing concept, a revised FTM system, a new floor, and updated power unit software. Despite those efforts, however, Mercedes secured its fourth victory of the 2026 campaign, staying ahead of a resurgent McLaren and Red Bull, while Ferrari slipped to fourth in the competitive order.
Contrary to expectations, Ferrari gave the impression that it had not progressed as effectively as its rivals and was no longer in a position to genuinely fight them. Lap time analysis suggested the SF-26 did not even have the race pace required to challenge consistently for the podium in Miami.
Ferrari’s performance remains under scrutiny
The significant performance gap appears to be driven primarily by Ferrari’s power unit shortcomings, an issue that will likely only be meaningfully addressed through the ADUO development concessions the FIA is expected to activate in the coming weeks. Ferrari has reportedly been working extensively behind the scenes on that opportunity for months.
Miami, in many ways, served as a harsh reality check after a break during which expectations had risen considerably — expectations that ultimately went unmet, partly due to simulation tools that may not have delivered fully accurate guidance.
Lewis Hamilton openly voiced frustration about that issue, saying: “You run simulations, and then on track the car behaves differently…”
Some paddock observers, however, have offered a different interpretation, suggesting Ferrari’s disappointing Miami performance may have been caused by introducing too many upgrades in a single event, leaving engineers with limited opportunity to properly isolate what worked and what failed.
That intense development push may also reflect a broader Formula 1 reality, with the new generation of 2026 cars triggering a fresh development arms race across both aerodynamic concepts and power unit optimisation.
Rivals react while Ferrari risks falling behind
And the response is coming quickly.
Both McLaren and Mercedes are set to bring substantial upgrade packages to the Canadian Grand Prix, effectively answering Ferrari’s aggressive development effort seen in Miami. If those improvements deliver the expected gains, Ferrari risks slipping even further into a supporting role after what initially looked like a promising start to the season.
That is also the view of former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert, speaking to Jackpot City Casino.
“At the start of the season, Ferrari looked strong. There were several weekends where the SF-26 was quick. They showed their hand before the others, but once the first developments arrived, the rival teams responded, and now Ferrari no longer looks like a threat.”
He continued: “It is frustrating, and once again it shows that the engineering ingredients required are not at the same level as those of other teams. They always seem able to improve compared to where they started. Ferrari’s development, by contrast, always appears slower or less effective.”
For Ferrari, Canada may therefore become another important reality check — not only in measuring the SF-26’s current competitiveness, but in determining whether the Scuderia can still remain part of the front-running development battle in 2026.
Ferrari’s current developmental stagnation places immense pressure on Frederic Vasseur‘s technical department to rapidly fix the correlation issues plaguing the SF-26. Bringing a massive multi-layered upgrade package to a single race weekend is always a double-edged sword, and Maranello is now paying a heavy price for failing to isolate their aerodynamic variables in Miami. With Mercedes showing relentless optimization and McLaren executing a highly efficient development roadmap, Ferrari cannot afford to let their ADUO engine calibration work drag on across the summer. If the Scuderia’s engineering team fails to unlock a more reactive, agile upgrade loop before the European leg concludes, a season that promised a historic title fight could quickly devolve into a frustrating damage-limitation exercise.
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