Ferrari is now waiting for one of the most important technical decisions of the season, with the FIA expected to officially confirm before the Monaco Grand Prix which manufacturers will qualify for ADUO concessions and how much development freedom they will be granted.
Speaking after the Canadian Grand Prix, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur admitted he had not expected the Scuderia to be as competitive as it ultimately proved to be in Montréal, where Lewis Hamilton secured an impressive second-place finish.
“Honestly, I didn’t think we would be this competitive here in Canada,” Frederic Vasseur said after the race.
Ferrari undoubtedly benefited from the dramatic collapse of McLaren’s weekend, triggered by a disastrous strategic call, while George Russell’s retirement also reshaped the outcome at the front. Even so, Lewis Hamilton appeared genuinely capable of fighting the papaya cars on merit for what could have been a podium finish regardless of those circumstances.
To consistently challenge Mercedes on more conventional circuits, however, Ferrari still requires a meaningful step forward from its power unit. While Monaco may naturally suit the SF-26 far better due to its unique characteristics, the broader championship picture points toward the need for additional engine performance.
That is where ADUO could become a major factor.
“ADUO? We’ll see the FIA’s decision in the coming days,” Frederic Vasseur told Sky. “Right now, we are focused on Monaco, which is a special circuit where you need a different approach.” – the French manager concluded.
What Ferrari is waiting to discover is whether its power unit deficit exceeds the critical 4% threshold relative to the benchmark manufacturers. Crossing that line would be highly significant, as it could unlock two power unit development opportunities in 2026 and another two in 2027, along with a substantial additional budget allocation specifically for engine development.
Frederic Vasseur’s diplomatic approach to the unfolding regulatory decisions therefore highlights a critical crossroads for Scuderia Ferrari’s technical office ahead of the intensive summer phase. While maximizing their scoring assets through Lewis Hamilton’s podium finish in Montreal provided a tremendous operational boost, unlocking long-term engine performance via the FIA’s upcoming ADUO declarations remains the definitive factor for their title aspirations. As the race team transitions to the low-speed layout of Monaco to weaponize the natural mechanical agility of the SF-26 chassis, the technical department will be monitoring the governing body’s compliance logs intently. If the engineering team can pair their upcoming aerodynamic updates with the extensive budget and development allowances guaranteed by an advantageous FIA ruling, Ferrari will establish a highly potent, twin-pronged attack capable of dismantling Mercedes’ current performance monopoly.
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