Ferrari’s Canadian Grand Prix weekend is becoming increasingly complicated, and not simply because of the well-documented power unit deficit. Sprint Qualifying in Montreal reinforced a frustrating pattern that has already surfaced multiple times this season: the SF-26 can appear competitive in the opening phases of qualifying, only to lose significant ground once the decisive final session begins.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc ultimately secured only fifth and sixth on the Sprint grid, finishing behind both Mercedes cars and both McLarens. While straight-line performance remains a major concern for the Scuderia, the latest analysis suggests Ferrari’s problems may now extend far beyond horsepower alone.
The pattern has become difficult to ignore. Similar behaviour was already visible earlier this season in Sprint Qualifying sessions from China and Miami, where the mandatory medium compound tyres in SQ1 and SQ2 allowed Ferrari to stay much closer to the frontrunners. But once the switch comes to soft tyres in SQ3 — when every team extracts maximum performance — Ferrari repeatedly fails to find the same step forward.
Montreal delivered the same story.
Ferrari’s gap may no longer be only about engine power
According to Sky Sport Italy analysis, Ferrari’s current deficit appears increasingly complex.
Former Ferrari ambassador Marc Gené suggested the challenge cannot simply be reduced to engine performance, arguing that beating Mercedes requires excellence across the entire car package rather than superiority in a single area.
While Mercedes’ internal combustion engine remains one of the strongest references in Formula 1, the broader competitive picture appears more nuanced than a pure horsepower discussion would suggest. Mercedes also arrived in Montreal with a significant upgrade package, immediately strengthening the W17 in several key performance areas. That naturally changes the comparison point for Ferrari, especially on a circuit where efficiency, traction and braking stability all play major roles.
The upcoming FIA technical assessment of power unit performance could also prove significant, particularly with the ADUO mechanism potentially opening development opportunities for manufacturers deemed sufficiently behind.
New weaknesses emerging for the SF-26
Former Formula 1 driver Matteo Bobbi echoed the view that Ferrari’s challenges are now spreading into additional performance areas.
Before the Canadian Grand Prix, the assumption was that Ferrari’s biggest handicap remained the engine. However, with Mercedes and McLaren continuing aggressive development, the SF-26 now appears vulnerable in other critical areas as well. That includes cornering performance and minimum speed through slower sections — particularly concerning for a car that had previously relied on chassis balance as one of its main competitive strengths.
If that interpretation is correct, Ferrari’s challenge becomes much more serious.
The SF-26 was already carrying a substantial straight-line deficit. If rival upgrades have now also shifted the balance in aerodynamic efficiency, low-speed performance and mechanical grip, the competitive recovery becomes far more difficult than simply waiting for a power unit update.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc facing a bigger battle
For Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, the implication is clear: extracting strong results will require more than simply managing Ferrari’s engine limitations.
Lewis Hamilton looked genuinely competitive through much of Friday and once again demonstrated his natural affinity with the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, while Charles Leclerc fought through braking issues and traffic frustrations. But neither Ferrari driver could compensate for the SF-26’s familiar late-session drop-off. The concern now is whether Ferrari is simply experiencing a circuit-specific weakness — or whether rival development has genuinely shifted the pecking order further away from Maranello.
The rest of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend may offer the first real clues.
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