Ferrari telemetry from the Spanish Grand Prix suggests that the Madring layout prevented the ADUO-2 power unit from demonstrating its full performance advantage. Lewis Hamilton beat Charles Leclerc by only six thousandths of a second in qualifying, despite using the newer specification, but the characteristics of the Madrid circuit and the contrasting driving styles adopted by the two Ferrari drivers help explain that remarkably small margin.
The true potential of Ferrari’s ADUO-2 compared with the older ADUO-1 became a major subject of discussion in the Madrid paddock. Charles Leclerc had to return to the previous power-unit specification for the Spanish Grand Prix following his accident at the Parabolica during the Italian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton was able to continue using the new version. The comparison offered an unusual opportunity to examine the two specifications directly before the more demanding Ferrari energy test awaiting in Baku.
Ferrari ADUO-2 advantage was difficult to see at Madring
The qualifying battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc was exceptionally close. Lewis Hamilton recorded a 1:32.013, while Charles Leclerc completed his lap in 1:32.019. The difference was therefore only 0.006 seconds across a lap lasting approximately 92 seconds.
At first glance, such a narrow margin could suggest that ADUO-2 provided little meaningful benefit. The maximum-speed figures appeared to support that interpretation, with Lewis Hamilton gaining only around 3–4 km/h over Charles Leclerc on the circuit’s purely straight sections. The available data can also be considered alongside the recorded figures in the F1 Top Speed Comparison.
However, a closer examination of the telemetry points towards a different conclusion. Madring’s configuration appears not to have allowed the newer Maranello specification to display its strongest qualities fully. ADUO-2 was designed to maximise straight-line performance and reduce the difficulties Ferrari experienced in Austria. The change to the angle of the turbine blades was introduced specifically to improve this area.
How Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc adapted to different power units
The technical difference between the two Ferrari power-unit specifications did not emerge clearly during Spanish Grand Prix qualifying for two main reasons. Madring did not feature sufficiently long straights, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both adapted their driving styles effectively to the particular specification installed in their cars.
By examining the GPTempo.com speed trace between Turns 1 and 3, two significant differences become visible. Charles Leclerc tried to exploit the advantage provided by Ferrari’s relatively small turbine, asking more from the power unit during the traction phase. Lewis Hamilton used a turbine of the same diameter, but its blades were angled differently to provide greater benefits at high rotational speeds. He therefore extracted more from the power unit as the car continued accelerating.
The comparison helps explain why two different Ferrari engine specifications produced almost identical qualifying lap times. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton compensated for their respective power-unit characteristics through their approach to acceleration, braking and energy recovery. More technical coverage of the SF-26 and its evolving package is available through the Ferrari technical analysis section.
Two driving styles and two approaches to battery recovery
The next question is why Lewis Hamilton’s maximum speed did not rise dramatically above the figure achieved by Charles Leclerc. Although the British driver reached a higher speed, the difference remained limited rather than increasing sharply.
This is where the contrasting battery-management approaches may have influenced the comparison. To maximise traction while also recovering energy, Charles Leclerc lifted and coasted before braking earlier than Lewis Hamilton. The driver of car number 44 instead carried more of his maximum speed towards the braking zone, but subsequently lost ground on the corner exit.
If Charles Leclerc was lifting and braking earlier to recover energy, Lewis Hamilton needed to replenish the battery in a different way. The speed trace shows Lewis Hamilton’s velocity gradually approaching its peak before beginning to decrease. One possible explanation is that he was using the power unit to recharge the battery during that phase.
The two drivers were therefore extracting performance in different parts of the lap. Charles Leclerc relied more heavily on traction and earlier energy recovery, while Lewis Hamilton made greater use of the ADUO-2’s high-speed characteristics before managing the battery through a different phase of the corner sequence.
Why Baku could reveal the Ferrari ADUO-2’s true potential
In practical terms, the Madring layout neutralised some of the qualities that Ferrari designed into ADUO-2. Lewis Hamilton could not take full advantage of the newer specification because the Spanish circuit lacked a sufficiently long straight on which its high-speed performance could emerge.
The situation should be very different at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Baku features the longest straight on the Formula 1 calendar, creating the kind of environment in which ADUO-2 should be able to demonstrate its advantages more clearly. The complete timetable for the next round is available in the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule.
Ferrari’s apparent determination to install the new specification in Charles Leclerc’s SF-26 also suggests that the team considers ADUO-2 superior to ADUO-1. Madrid may not have provided the right conditions to expose the difference, but Baku’s long acceleration zones should offer a much more representative test.
Six thousandths explained by engines, driving and energy management
Ultimately, the different power units led Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to adopt substantially different driving styles in Spain. Whenever one Ferrari driver recovered time in one sector, the other tended to hold the advantage in the following part of the lap.
The six-thousandth gap was therefore the combined result of several factors: two different engine specifications, contrasting driving techniques and separate approaches to battery recharging. Rather than proving that ADUO-2 offered no advantage, the Madrid telemetry suggests that both drivers adapted effectively enough to conceal much of the underlying technical difference.
Could Charles Leclerc receive a new power unit in Baku?
Charles Leclerc is still waiting to learn whether the power unit used at Monza can be recovered. If Ferrari’s checks produce a positive outcome, he should avoid any additional complications before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
If Ferrari instead decides to install a new unit in car number 16, an option the team appears already to have considered, Charles Leclerc would inevitably be forced to start from the back of the grid. That possibility adds another important variable to Ferrari’s already challenging Baku outlook.
Even so, starting from the rear with a power unit capable of supporting a competitive race could be preferable to repeating Ferrari’s Austrian Grand Prix experience. On that occasion, the engine struggled excessively and the Scuderia was unable to play a significant role during the race. Baku should finally offer a clearer indication of how much the ADUO-2 can contribute when the circuit allows Ferrari to exploit its intended strengths.
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