Ferrari has not won since the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Seven races have passed since then and, during that period, every other leading team — Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull — has managed to win.
Since the beginning of July, Ferrari has gone through a period of declining form, although the Maranello team still holds a firm second place in the Constructors’ Championship. Its advantage over McLaren stands at 58 points after the reigning champions endured two particularly disappointing weekends, allowing Ferrari to rebuild a margin that had previously narrowed considerably.
Singapore gives Ferrari a major opportunity to return to winning
Singapore, the final race of a demanding three-event sequence, appears to be a circuit that should suit the SF-26 particularly well. The car’s strengths are expected to be highlighted more clearly at Marina Bay than at many other venues.
Interestingly, Ferrari’s victories this season have come at circuits that were considered difficult for the car, namely Barcelona and Silverstone. At the same time, the Scuderia has repeatedly failed to deliver the expected result on more technical layouts such as Monaco, Budapest, Zandvoort and Madring.
Something has consistently gone wrong on those weekends, preventing Ferrari from extracting the full potential of the car. In several cases, the shortcomings have been interpreted as execution errors rather than a simple lack of performance.
That makes Singapore a significant opportunity for redemption and a chance to give greater meaning to Ferrari’s season. The expected challenge to Mercedes has not materialised, meaning the more realistic objective is now to defend second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Why Marina Bay should reduce Ferrari’s usual power-unit handicap
The Marina Bay round arrives at a useful moment for Ferrari as the team attempts to restore order internally. The night-time street circuit contains no long straights, which means the power deficit of the Ferrari power unit should cost less lap time than at many other venues.
At the same time, the SF-26 is believed to have greater aerodynamic load than its rivals, a characteristic that should theoretically allow Ferrari to perform strongly through Singapore’s sequence of corners. The circuit’s particular demands are also explored in our Marina Bay circuit analysis.
Heat and humidity will provide another major challenge, both for the cars and for the physical preparation of the drivers. Power-unit cooling requirements will therefore become an important technical factor throughout the weekend.
Throughout the season, Ferrari’s philosophy has been described as sacrificing some engine performance in favour of having the strongest chassis and more efficient aerodynamics. Singapore should provide one of the clearest opportunities to test that theory.
Teams are expected to run more open bodywork to help the power units breathe in the hot conditions. It will therefore be interesting to see whether the SF-26 can operate with tighter cooling outlets than rival cars while still maintaining sufficient temperature control.
Ferrari must prove its chassis and aerodynamic advantage still exists
In recent races, however, Ferrari’s apparent superiority in chassis and aerodynamic efficiency has become less obvious. Rival teams have introduced important development packages, while the Scuderia has also struggled to find the correct tyre operating window.
That issue has been particularly noticeable in qualifying, pushing Ferrari towards relatively stiff set-ups rather than simply removing aerodynamic load in an attempt to reduce drag.
The situation makes Singapore an important technical test. If the SF-26 can exploit the characteristics that Ferrari has prioritised in its 2026 concept, Marina Bay should be one of the circuits where those choices become most visible. The team’s broader technical progress can be followed through our Ferrari technical analysis.
Ferrari seeks unity as Fred Vasseur again criticises media pressure
Ferrari has publicly called for unity by renewing its confidence in Fred Vasseur after the heated controversies of recent weeks. The team now needs to demonstrate that unity on track by taking advantage of a circuit that appears favourable to its package.
A third victory of the season before the final upgrade arrives in Austin would represent a major boost for the Maranello team.
However, Fred Vasseur again reignited debate during an interview with Canal+ F1, criticising the Italian media. The French team principal explained that he personally does not read the press and tries to isolate himself from outside commentary.
“I don’t read the press, I try to isolate myself from all of this. The number one problem is the 1,500 people who work with me and who, when there is something negative about me, the team and everything else, feel the backlash in the morning. And I think this hugely damages the team’s results,” Fred Vasseur explained, adding that he would prefer “friendly media”.
Ferrari enjoys enormous media exposure, comparable in Italy to that surrounding the national football team. However, the argument remains that press pressure alone should not be enough to destabilise an organisation if everything inside is functioning properly.
Lewis Hamilton’s comments add another layer to Ferrari’s internal debate
The pressure does not always come solely from outside. Lewis Hamilton has also suggested that he knows which changes would be needed inside Ferrari, although without naming individuals or departments.
That raises another question over whether comments from within the team can create as much uncertainty among employees as external reporting. The seven-time world champion has nevertheless also highlighted Ferrari’s technical strengths while acknowledging its remaining power deficit.
A successful Ferrari is ultimately worth far more to every media outlet than an unsuccessful one, and the length of the wait since the team’s last victory only increases the attention surrounding each race.
Singapore therefore becomes an important turning point for restoring calm inside a team that appears not to be far away from challenging at the front. With Marina Bay offering conditions that should suit the SF-26, Ferrari’s immediate task is simple: avoid wasting another major opportunity.
The complete timetable for the weekend, including the Sprint format, is available in the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix schedule.
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