Ferrari’s Spa performance provided several encouraging signs for the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season, according to an analysis by Fulvio Solms published in Corriere dello Sport. Despite leaving the Belgian Grand Prix with mixed emotions, the Scuderia showed that the SF-26 could remain within three tenths of Mercedes around one of the longest and most demanding circuits on the calendar.
Solms described Ferrari’s Belgian weekend as a biscuit with “one sweet side and one salty side”, reflecting a result that combined missed opportunities with meaningful evidence of progress. Given the difficult circumstances surrounding the team’s start to the championship, its competitiveness at Spa-Francorchamps offered a more positive indication of what may be possible during the next phase of the campaign.
“Ferrari leaves Belgium turning over in its mouth a biscuit with one sweet side and one salty side,” Solms wrote. “A Ferrari three tenths behind Mercedes on a seven-kilometre circuit is something interesting.”
Ferrari’s Spa performance highlights SF-26 progress
The analysis focused on the clear performance step demonstrated by the SF-26 cars driven by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. A deficit of only three tenths per lap to Mercedes on a long and selective circuit such as Spa represents a notable sign of improvement.
“Overall, there was no shortage of good news,” Solms added, highlighting how Ferrari’s competitiveness in Belgium carried particular significance after its difficult opening phase of the season.
The final result also supported that assessment. Charles Leclerc secured second place, while Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth in a race that underlined both the strengths and remaining limitations of Ferrari’s package. A full account of the team’s weekend can be found in our Ferrari Belgian Grand Prix review.
Charles Leclerc benefits from key moments at Spa
The Corriere dello Sport analysis also acknowledged the decisive episodes that helped Charles Leclerc claim the second step of the podium. The Monegasque driver’s Sunday was accompanied by a significant degree of good fortune at crucial moments.
Charles Leclerc first avoided a penalty after his close and forceful contact with Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, with the stewards deciding to take no further action. He then benefited from the timing of the Virtual Safety Car, which allowed Ferrari to strengthen his strategic position and briefly place him at the heart of the victory battle.
However, the final hard-tyre stint prevented Charles Leclerc from sustaining his challenge against Kimi Antonelli. Ferrari has since examined how its difficulties on that compound affected the result and why the lost Spa victory still offered reasons for optimism.
More favourable circuits now await Ferrari
The most optimistic aspect for the Maranello team is that it has completed two of the fastest, most complex and theoretically least favourable circuits for the SF-26 without suffering a major performance collapse. Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps were both expected to expose Ferrari’s weaknesses, yet the team collected a victory in Britain and a second-place finish in Belgium.
With those two high-speed challenges now behind it, Formula 1 moves towards slower and more technical layouts that could be better suited to the characteristics of the Ferrari. The first of those opportunities comes at the Hungaroring, followed by Zandvoort after the summer break.
The Hungarian circuit’s slower corners and more technical configuration may appear encouraging on paper, although Charles Leclerc has already warned that Ferrari cannot simply assume the Hungaroring will suit the SF-26.
Nevertheless, Ferrari’s performance at Spa has changed the tone surrounding the team. Remaining within three tenths of Mercedes over such a long lap suggests the SF-26 is becoming more competitive, while the approaching circuits may provide a better environment in which Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton can exploit its strengths.
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