Ferrari’s disappointing qualifying performance at the United States Grand Prix was accompanied by an equally concerning set of speed trap figures. Charles Leclerc qualified fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth at the Circuit of the Americas, but the straight-line speed comparison revealed an even more troubling detail: Leclerc’s SF-26 was faster only than the Aston Martins, despite Ferrari’s introduction of its ADUO 2 engine update.
The result represented a significant setback after Ferrari had shown encouraging performance throughout all three practice sessions. The Italian team’s engine-related limitations remained apparent when qualifying arrived, preventing it from mounting the challenge for pole position that its earlier pace had suggested was possible.
Charles Leclerc among the slowest in Austin qualifying speed trap
The qualifying speed trap data highlighted the scale of Ferrari’s disadvantage. Leclerc registered a maximum speed of 331 km/h, exceeding only the two Aston Martins, which reached 328 km/h. Hamilton was slightly better placed, recording 337 km/h and finishing two positions higher than his team-mate in the speed ranking, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg.
Those readings illustrated the straight-line weakness of the SF-26 during a session in which Ferrari had hoped to build on its promising practice performances. The contrast was particularly striking given the team’s earlier Austin FP1 analysis, which highlighted stronger cornering performance alongside losses on the straights.
At the opposite end of the speed ranking, the two Alpine cars occupied the leading positions with 346 km/h and 345 km/h. Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen followed, while Sergio Perez was next on 340 km/h. The Mexican driver’s speed may have been influenced by a lower-downforce configuration or the benefit of a slipstream.
The remaining drivers were grouped between 339 km/h and Hamilton’s 337 km/h, leaving Ferrari’s British driver towards the lower end of the comparison and Leclerc even further behind. The differences are also relevant when examining the Formula 1 top-speed comparison data, although recorded speed trap values can be affected by aerodynamic settings, energy deployment and conditions on individual laps.
Ferrari’s ADUO 2 update fails to eliminate its engine-related weakness
The speed figures are particularly disappointing because Ferrari had already introduced its ADUO 2 engine upgrade. The SF-26 nevertheless continued to display limitations associated with its power unit, leaving the Maranello team unable to match the performance required to fight for pole at Austin.
Although the engine update was intended to address part of Ferrari’s performance deficit, the qualifying outcome demonstrated that the team’s difficulties had not disappeared. The situation added another concern to a weekend in which Ferrari had also been evaluating four aerodynamic changes introduced for the United States Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc’s speed loss from FP3 adds to Ferrari’s concerns
Another notable detail emerged from the comparison highlighted by Federico Albano. The figures suggested that Leclerc had lost straight-line speed between FP3 and qualifying, with his earlier practice reading of 336 km/h contrasting with the reported qualifying result of 331 km/h. At the same time, rival drivers had managed to increase their recorded speeds.
One possible explanation is that the Ferrari SF-26 had moved outside its ideal operating window during the final qualifying attempt. That could help explain why the performance shown earlier in the weekend was not fully reproduced when it mattered most, although the speed trap comparison alone does not identify a single cause.
The outcome left Ferrari with fourth and fifth on the grid rather than the front-row challenge it had hoped to deliver. Leclerc and Hamilton had demonstrated competitive potential during practice, but the combination of the SF-26’s continuing straight-line limitations and the team’s inability to bring its performance together in qualifying added to the frustration.
For Ferrari, the Austin speed readings represent another warning in a 2026 season in which pole position has remained frustratingly difficult to reach. Even with the ADUO 2 development and the latest aerodynamic changes, the Scuderia was again left searching for the complete qualifying performance needed to challenge its strongest rivals.
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