Ferrari strategy to ‘hide’ real 2026 F1 engine data from rivals. Ferrari is keeping the real details of its 2026 power unit under wraps.

There appears to be a lot of mystery surrounding Ferrari’s 2026 engine: information is tightly guarded, and any rumors of a Mercedes advantage should not be taken as absolute truth. Even Ferrari seems to be actively hiding the true performance figures of the new power unit, raising questions among competitors, including Audi.

We have already covered much about the Ferrari engine, which for the first time will feature an equal split of power between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. With Wolf Zimmermann moving to Audi, there may have been a shift in the materials used for the cylinder head. For months, rumors have suggested that Mercedes has the superior engine, but this could also be a deliberate tactic by Toto Wolff’s team to discourage engineers from moving to Maranello. Similarly, claims that Alpine engineers were worried about the new Ferrari power unit appear to be false. The work led by Enrico Gualtieri is progressing, and all information remains highly confidential and inaccessible to most teams. Meanwhile, some complaints have surfaced from Audi.

“We have limited data from Ferrari and Sauber”

“The development of the 2026 powertrain is complete, and we are already focusing on 2027 and 2028. Updates never stop in Formula 1, but we have very limited data from Ferrari and Sauber regarding next year’s setup, so we are looking ahead,” explained Stefan Dreyer, CTO of Audi, to The Drive. Naturally, Ferrari is protecting itself by not revealing engine details to a team that will become a full-fledged competitor in 2026. It seems obvious that Ferrari is deliberately hiding the true potential of its next engine.

It is also important to consider that initially only Cadillac and Haas will run the Italian power unit. This represents a positive note, but Mercedes-powered teams (Williams, McLaren, Alpine) have more cars using their engines, which results in more data and more hours on the test bench to refine reliability. Teams at a disadvantage will be able to rely on the ADUO system, which allows for adjustments to engine components to improve performance. Ferrari aims to be the benchmark from the start, not just in power units but across other areas of the car as well.