Ferrari’s straight-line speed deficit was exposed during the 2026 United States Grand Prix when Kimi Antonelli overtook Charles Leclerc with a remarkable 25 km/h advantage. On lap 32 at the Circuit of the Americas, the Mercedes driver reached 345 km/h while using overtake mode, compared with just 320 km/h for the Ferrari SF-26.
Ferrari’s 25 km/h speed deficit exposed in Austin overtake
Charles Leclerc was battling Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli when the Mercedes driver made his move. Benefiting from both the performance of his power unit and a tyre advantage, Kimi Antonelli was able to overtake the Monegasque with relative ease.
The difference in recorded speeds was particularly striking: 345 km/h for Kimi Antonelli with overtake mode activated, against 320 km/h for Charles Leclerc. The 25 km/h gap highlighted the considerable straight-line advantage Mercedes enjoyed at that moment of the race.
Ferrari’s straight-line weakness remains evident
The incident provided another illustration of the difficulties Ferrari has encountered on the straights at Austin. The SF-26 had already shown a contrasting performance profile during practice, combining encouraging cornering speed with a notable straight-line deficit, as examined in our Ferrari Austin FP1 technical analysis.
Although the tyre difference also contributed to the overtake, the recorded speeds underline how significant the advantage was during this particular exchange. The 345 km/h and 320 km/h figures represent the speeds achieved by the two cars in that situation, rather than a direct measurement of their respective engine power outputs.
Readers can explore recorded speed differences between Formula 1 drivers and teams through the ScuderiaFans F1 Top Speed Comparison, including speed-trap measurements from Grand Prix sessions.
Leave a Reply