Ferrari still believes it can fight for major honours in the 2026 Formula 1 season, but Frédéric Vasseur admits the power unit deficit to Mercedes remains the SF-26’s biggest obstacle. The Ferrari team principal is encouraged by the steady development of the car and the results produced by Maranello’s upgrade programme, although he does not expect the planned ADUO engine development to completely erase Mercedes’ advantage.
The Formula 1 summer break traditionally provides an opportunity to assess the first half of the campaign, and Ferrari’s picture contains both positives and negatives. On one hand, the Scuderia knows it has produced an SF-26 that has improved consistently, with a development programme that has so far delivered the expected results. On the other, the power unit remains the clearest limitation, with Mercedes still setting the benchmark in that area.
Speaking to Canal+, Frédéric Vasseur offered a realistic assessment of Ferrari’s technical position. The French team principal did not attempt to disguise the difficulties, but his comments also made clear that belief within Maranello has not disappeared. Ferrari still considers itself capable of pursuing ambitious objectives during the second half of the championship, a position that follows Vasseur’s earlier mid-season assessment of Ferrari’s 2026 campaign.
Ferrari’s main limitation remains the power unit
Frédéric Vasseur was direct when assessing the area in which Ferrari remains behind. The power deficit had already been anticipated before the beginning of the championship, and it continues to represent the principal factor separating the Scuderia from the outright performance level established by Mercedes.
“Mercedes is still well ahead, at least in terms of the engine. We expected it to be tough for us on the engine for a year. And considering the deficit we started with, we are doing rather well. Obviously, it is not enough, because we want to win.”
It is a situation Ferrari has understood since the winter. The SF-26 has demonstrated that its chassis and aerodynamic platform are competitive, while reliability has also emerged as one of the project’s strengths. The developments introduced during the championship have followed the path anticipated by the engineers without major setbacks, allowing the car to make steady progress.
That consistency is one of the main reasons Ferrari continues to believe. Staying involved in the championship fight means maximising every opportunity, extracting the most from a generally balanced package and limiting the consequences of the power unit performance deficit wherever possible.
The approach also explains why Ferrari has continued to develop several areas of the car rather than relying on one transformative update. The Scuderia has already mapped out its next SF-26 development steps for Zandvoort and Monza as it attempts to keep the pressure on Mercedes after the summer shutdown.
Ferrari targets Monza for its next ADUO engine development
The next significant step on the power unit side is expected after the summer break, most likely at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Ferrari plans to introduce an updated version of its V6 through the opportunities provided by the ADUO parameters.
It will represent the most substantial engine intervention on the SF-26 since the initial development introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix. However, nobody at Maranello expects the update to suddenly reverse the competitive order.
Ferrari has consequently been carrying out extensive work before approving the new specification, including reliability testing for the planned Monza power unit upgrade. Performance gains remain important, but they cannot come at the expense of one of the current package’s strongest qualities.
Frédéric Vasseur was equally cautious when assessing how much the ADUO development could realistically achieve.
“Catch Mercedes completely? I would say no. It will help, that’s for sure. When you look at Mercedes and Red Bull, we’re talking about one or two tenths per lap of difference coming from the engine. In any case, it is not a huge advantage to make up.”
Why Ferrari’s ADUO upgrade cannot guarantee a complete recovery
The updated specification should help Ferrari reduce part of its current deficit, but expecting it to completely eliminate the advantage Mercedes has built during development of the new generation of power units would be unrealistic.
There is another important factor. Ferrari is not the only manufacturer able to take advantage of the development opportunities available through ADUO. Mercedes HPP also retains scope to improve its internal combustion engine. In other words, Ferrari’s rival will not simply stand still while Maranello attempts to close the gap.
Mercedes can continue refining a power unit that currently represents the technical benchmark, meaning the development battle remains a moving target. Ferrari therefore needs its own progress to be substantial enough not merely to improve the SF-26, but also to reduce the relative difference as its rivals continue developing.
That challenge helps explain why Charles Leclerc has urged Ferrari to remain aggressive with its 2026 upgrades. Every additional step could matter as the Scuderia attempts to remain involved in the championship fight.
Ferrari working on 2026 and 2027 in parallel
Maranello’s programme is therefore progressing along two parallel paths. The first remains focused on 2026, with Ferrari determined to stay in the championship battle by exploiting the SF-26’s reliability and continuing a development programme that has so far produced the expected results.
The second concerns 2027, which is intended to become the real turning point of Ferrari’s new technical era. The objective is to arrive at next season with a package that is fully mature in every major area: chassis, aerodynamics and power unit.
Barring unexpected developments, Ferrari believes that is when the engine deficit currently restricting the SF-26’s potential can realistically be eliminated. The work being carried out now is therefore important not only for the remaining rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season, but also for the foundations of next year’s project.
For the moment, however, Ferrari has no intention of raising the white flag. Frédéric Vasseur accepts that Mercedes still possesses an important advantage in power unit performance and does not expect the Monza ADUO development to erase it completely. At the same time, the progress of the SF-26, its reliability and the consistency of Ferrari’s upgrade programme continue to provide reasons for belief. The championship pursuit remains alive, and Maranello intends to keep fighting until the end of the season.
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