Ferrari is planning a new engine for 2027 as it continues its attempt to close the power unit gap to Mercedes, with team principal Frédéric Vasseur making clear that the process was never expected to be completed through the two ADUO upgrades introduced during the 2026 Formula 1 season. The developments brought to Austria and Monza improved Ferrari’s situation, but they were not enough to overturn Mercedes’ advantage.
Lewis Hamilton had already played down expectations surrounding Ferrari’s engine developments several months ago. In May, the seven-time world champion said he did not expect the Maranello team to eliminate its deficit to Mercedes before the end of the season, and subsequent events have supported that assessment.
Ferrari ADUO upgrades were never expected to erase the Mercedes gap
Ferrari introduced two power unit updates through the ADUO opportunities, first in Austria and then at Monza. Although both produced progress, the overall gains were not dramatic enough to fundamentally change the competitive picture. Mercedes remains the benchmark when the combustion engine, hybrid system and energy management are considered together.
The Italian Grand Prix offered an especially revealing test for the latest specification. A detailed look at Ferrari’s ADUO 2 performance at Monza showed how power delivery and electrical energy management remained crucial parts of the SF-26’s deficit despite the latest development.
Frédéric Vasseur explains why Ferrari engine development takes time
Frédéric Vasseur made no attempt to suggest Ferrari could find an immediate solution when discussing the situation at Monza on Sunday afternoon.
“The engine process is mega long,” the Ferrari team principal admitted. “It’s not like the chassis, where you can bring a development from one day to the next very quickly and recover pace. On the engine side, the process is mega long, because the lead times for parts are long and with the cost cap it isn’t easy.”
The complexity described by Frédéric Vasseur is particularly significant under Formula 1’s new technical framework, where outright combustion-engine output represents only one part of overall performance. Ferrari’s current package combines the V6 with the electrical system and energy-management strategy, as explained in our detailed look at how the Ferrari SF-26 power unit works.
Ferrari plans a new 2027 engine through ADUO
Frédéric Vasseur stressed that Ferrari had never regarded ADUO 1 or ADUO 2 as developments capable of eliminating the entire performance deficit within a matter of months.
“We were not expecting to recover the deficit with ADUO 1 or ADUO 2. We are making small steps, but you have to keep in mind that even with a few horsepower you can make a good step forward on the grid,” the Frenchman explained.
“We have now planned a new engine for next year, with ADUO 1 in 2027, and for sure the target is to close the gap as soon as possible. But we were not expecting to close the gap to Mercedes in a couple of months.”
Ferrari’s Monza specification itself involved work extending beyond a simple search for peak horsepower. The Scuderia also developed elements of the turbocharger, with the ADUO 2 turbo upgrade focusing on compressor-blade development as Maranello sought greater overall efficiency.
Ferrari’s 2027 power unit could represent a different concept
Frédéric Vasseur’s reference to a “new engine” for 2027 can readily be interpreted as pointing not simply to another evolution of Ferrari’s current unit, but towards a different power unit concept. The objective is therefore to make a more substantial step after the incremental gains achieved through the two 2026 ADUO developments.
The scale of Ferrari’s challenge is also reflected in the Constructors’ Championship. Ferrari currently sits second in the standings, 122 points behind Mercedes, which has led the championship since the beginning of the season.
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