Ferrari’s SF-26 consistency has emerged as one of the strongest reasons why Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc remain capable of extending the 2026 Formula 1 championship battle. Across the opening 11 races, both Ferrari cars finished in the points on nine occasions, a record Mercedes matched in only six rounds.
That two-car reliability has helped the Maranello team contain the damage caused by Mercedes’ dominant opening phase. The W17 secured six consecutive victories and eight wins in total before the summer break, yet Ferrari remained 72 points behind in the constructors’ standings — a significant deficit, but one that could still be recovered.
Ferrari SF-26 consistency limits Mercedes’ early advantage
Mercedes initially appeared ready to take firm control of the season through Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. When Kimi Antonelli claimed his fifth consecutive victory in Monaco, the competitive advantage enjoyed by the Brackley team seemed increasingly difficult for its rivals to overcome.
The picture subsequently began to change. Lewis Hamilton won in Barcelona, Charles Leclerc delivered victory for Ferrari at Silverstone and Lando Norris triumphed for McLaren in Budapest. The British, Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix therefore produced three consecutive winners from three different teams for the first time during the campaign.
Those results indicated that the Mercedes W17 was no longer operating at an unreachable level. Outright race-winning speed remains essential, but the championship is increasingly likely to be decided by which team can consistently maximise both cars rather than relying solely on victories from one driver.
That development gives additional importance to the conclusions drawn from Ferrari’s 2026 mid-season assessment. Although the Scuderia has not matched Mercedes’ total number of wins, it has repeatedly limited its losses by bringing both SF-26 cars home in points-scoring positions.
Nine double points finishes reveal Ferrari’s key advantage
The constructors’ championship rewards the combined performance of both drivers, making double points finishes especially valuable. Ferrari achieved that result in nine of the first 11 Grands Prix, with the only exceptions coming when Charles Leclerc retired in Monaco and Barcelona.
Mercedes, despite establishing itself as the early competitive benchmark, recorded points with both cars in only six rounds. Ferrari has therefore been able to use the consistency of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to reduce the impact of the W17’s superior victory count.
The difference has been influenced by reliability and the recurring difficulties that have affected George Russell. Over the final three races before the summer break, the Italian team steadily reduced Mercedes’ advantage and demonstrated why dependable two-car scoring can become decisive over a full season.
Hamilton’s individual results have also played an important role, even though penalties, incidents and strategic setbacks have affected his 2026 championship challenge. Alongside Leclerc’s contribution, the seven-time world champion has ensured that Ferrari has rarely left a race without a substantial points return.
Ferrari upgrades could keep the title battle open
The remaining question is whether Ferrari can combine its existing consistency with enough additional performance to challenge Mercedes more regularly for victories. The Scuderia is preparing a further evolution package while continuing its race to develop the SF-26 during the second half of the campaign.
An updated power unit is also expected to become part of that effort. Ferrari has intensified its reliability testing ahead of the planned Monza engine upgrade, with maintaining durability likely to be just as important as extracting more performance.
If the next technical developments allow Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to compete for more wins without sacrificing the SF-26’s dependable points-scoring record, Ferrari could keep both championship contests alive until the closing rounds. Mercedes still holds the advantage, but Ferrari’s ability to maximise two cars has become a genuine strength that its rival has not matched consistently.
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