Ferrari vs Mercedes: How the SF-26 gains six tenths in the corners but loses it on the straights | China data analysis. Ferrari shows its strongest chassis on the grid in China.

Ferrari has once again confirmed that it possesses the best chassis on the Formula 1 grid, even during qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, and this becomes even clearer when analyzing the telemetry data. The SF-26 is gradually closing the gap to the Mercedes W17 in terms of qualifying pace, finishing just three-tenths behind (compared to eight-tenths in Melbourne, on a much shorter circuit). The Maranello car demonstrates exceptional strength from a chassis perspective, while on the engine side there is still considerable work to do in order to match the Mercedes power unit performance.

Telemetry reveals Ferrari’s strengths and weaknesses

Telemetry analysis shows a pattern already observed at the Albert Park circuit in Australia: the Ferrari SF-26 is extremely strong in traction and cornering. In these key areas, it enjoys a six-tenths advantage over the Silver Arrows, but this edge is lost on the straights, especially when energy management and battery deployment come into play.

Detailed analysis of qualifying telemetry at the Chinese GP

For this telemetry analysis, we considered the three fastest laps from Kimi Antonelli (highlighted in light blue), Charles Leclerc (in red), and Lewis Hamilton (in white). Right from the first straight and the opening two corners, Antonelli establishes a noticeable gap over both Ferrari drivers. Ferrari then begins to recover in traction from turn 3 to turn 4, where Charles Leclerc’s time matches Antonelli’s down to the thousandth of a second. After turn 4, the first super clipping of the lap occurs through turn 6, where Ferrari begins to lose ground once again.

In turn 6, however, Ferrari demonstrates its incredibly strong traction, allowing both Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc to close the gap to within a thousandth of the pole time once again. The next section is faster, where Mercedes shows excellent electric energy management, regaining a few tenths, which Ferrari then loses again through turns 8 and 10. In this sector, Ferrari reasserts its dominance in traction and aerodynamic efficiency, enabling its drivers to get back on the power earlier than their rivals. The W17 regains the advantage from the middle of the straight between turns 10 and 11, maintaining the lead through the remainder of the third sector.

Ferrari starts the third sector very strongly, particularly through turns 11, 12, and 13, leading up to the long back straight. Here we see a familiar scene: Ferrari maintains a strong pace until the middle of the straight, with Mercedes recovering all the lost time in the second half, ending up approximately eight-tenths ahead. This advantage collapses slightly on exit from turn 14 and continues through the final straight, where the SF-26 crosses the line just 351 thousandths of a second behind.

In summary, the telemetry data from the Chinese Grand Prix qualifying session clearly highlight Ferrari’s enormous potential, particularly in traction zones and cornering. If the engine issues were resolved, the SF-26 could fully exploit its exceptional chassis and aerodynamic efficiency, potentially challenging Mercedes more consistently throughout a lap. This analysis reinforces the fact that while Ferrari is still slightly disadvantaged in terms of power unit performance, the car remains a formidable competitor when it comes to chassis balance, traction, and overall handling.