The Ferrari team principal outlined the next development steps for the Scuderia and indicated the event where the updates should appear on the SF-26. These were Fred Vasseur’s remarks after the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix regarding the upcoming package of innovations.
With the SF-26, the Italian side has demonstrated a particularly original and innovative approach to its technical developments. Ferrari has worked extremely well on the chassis and aerodynamic concept of the car, but the team is still paying a significant price in terms of engine performance. Mercedes is currently benefiting from a compression ratio higher than 16:1, which is allowed under the regulations and provides greater power output. Engineers in Maranello are attempting to replicate this solution in order to avoid losing too much ground before the new checks scheduled for June 1, when the inspections will be carried out at a temperature of 130 degrees.
Closing this performance gap would require the ADUO, but Fréd Vasseur believes that the team’s ongoing development programme could also help Ferrari move closer to Toto Wolff’s squad. The French manager remains confident that the SF-26’s development path will gradually reduce the disadvantage and allow Ferrari to remain competitive throughout the early part of the season.
The next upgrade package and when we will see the ‘Macarena’ again
“A package was planned for Bahrain, which we will bring to Miami. We will try to bring additional developments as well, maybe even a package and a half. The Macarena wing? We need to test it to make it reliable, and the only way we can do proper testing is during FP1 sessions. We will carry out another test in Japan and then we will see when we can introduce it permanently.”
Ferrari will therefore introduce several new elements at the American round, which has effectively become the fourth race of the 2026 Formula 1 season following the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. Some minor developments had already appeared in China, including the small winglet mounted on the halo and a modification to the rear suspension layout. Fred Vasseur had also hinted, as early as the Australian Grand Prix weekend, that a significant chassis upgrade was in the works.
The so-called Macarena wing, which was tested during the FP1 session before being removed from both cars, has not yet provided the level of reliability that Ferrari is looking for. The version used in China represented the first specification of the concept, although it had already been structurally reinforced compared to the initial design.
The rotating flap, capable of moving through as much as 270 degrees, created certain drawbacks under braking and during the closing phase of the mechanism. Ferrari is aiming to perfect the solution in time for the Canadian Grand Prix, but the engineers in Maranello are doing everything possible to bring it forward earlier because it is currently viewed as one of the few technical weapons capable of countering the powerful Mercedes engine.
The SF-26 follows a clearly defined development plan, with several smaller components scheduled to arrive race by race alongside the larger upgrade packages. The first major step will come in Miami, although Ferrari is fully aware that its rivals will not stand still. The season has only just begun, and the Maranello team believes it still has every reason to fight and remain firmly in the battle.
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