Ferrari’s major ADUO power unit upgrade will improve the SF-26 after the summer break, but Frédéric Vasseur does not expect it to eliminate Mercedes’ engine advantage completely. The Ferrari team principal believes the update will provide a useful step forward, although he remains realistic about the gap the Maranello team still needs to recover.
The Scuderia has made progress compared with 2025 and currently occupies second place in the Constructors’ Championship. However, Mercedes holds a 72-point advantage, leaving Ferrari with significant ground to make up during the second half of the season.
Frédéric Vasseur delivers his Ferrari mid-season assessment
After previously discussing Ferrari’s progress with Canal Plus, Fred Vasseur offered a similar assessment in an interview with French publication Auto Hebdo. His verdict reflected both satisfaction with the SF-26 and frustration that the team has not yet reached the level required to win consistently.
“It’s like at school: ‘Good, but could do better.’ It is a step forward compared with 2025 because we are more competitive,” Vasseur explained.
“The car is quite good, which was not guaranteed in the first year of a new set of regulations.”
That measured judgement is consistent with Vasseur’s wider assessment of Ferrari’s 2026 campaign. The team has established a competitive foundation with its new car, but its current championship position remains below the standard expected at Maranello.
Mercedes retains a clear power unit advantage
Ferrari was not surprised to begin the new regulatory cycle behind Mercedes in power unit performance. Vasseur acknowledged that the German manufacturer remains the reference on the engine side, while explaining that the Scuderia always expected the first year to be difficult.
“Mercedes is still well ahead, at least in terms of the engine. We expected it to be tough for us on the engine for a year,” the French manager admitted.
“Considering the deficit we started with, we are doing quite well. Obviously, it is not enough because we want to win.”
His comments separate Ferrari’s overall progress from the specific limitations of its power unit. The SF-26 may have represented an improvement over its predecessor, but the remaining engine deficit continues to affect the team’s attempt to challenge Mercedes across a complete race weekend.
Ferrari ADUO upgrade will arrive after the summer break
Ferrari intends to introduce its upgraded power unit after the summer break. The ADUO package represents the most important engine development planned for the SF-26 and is expected to provide the additional performance needed for the next phase of the championship.
Maranello has already intensified its preparations for the planned 2026 Monza engine upgrade. Despite the importance of the development, Ferrari is avoiding ambitious predictions about how far it will move the team towards Mercedes.
Asked whether the ADUO would allow Ferrari to recover the entire deficit, Fred Vasseur gave a clear response.
“Completely catch Mercedes? I would say no. It will help, that is certain,” he explained.
“When you look at Mercedes and Red Bull, we are talking about a difference of one or two tenths per lap from the engine. In any case, it is not a major advantage to make up.”
Ferrari expects progress without an immediate reversal
Fred Vasseur’s position underlines Ferrari’s cautious approach to the second half of the season. The ADUO should reduce part of the power unit deficit and strengthen the SF-26, but the team principal is not presenting it as a single development capable of transforming the championship picture immediately.
With Ferrari already 72 points behind Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship, the upgrade must be combined with strong execution and consistent results. The objective remains victory, but Vasseur accepts that closing the remaining engine gap will require more than one post-summer step.
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