Giorgio Terruzzi analyzes Ferrari’s unexplained inconsistency after difficult Austrian Grand Prix. Why Ferrari's Austrian GP disappointment has left even experts puzzled.

The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to defy expectations, with every Grand Prix seemingly rewriting the competitive order established just one week earlier. Following Ferrari’s disappointing performance at the Austrian Grand Prix, respected Italian journalist Giorgio Terruzzi reflected on the increasingly unpredictable nature of the championship, arguing that no team can currently rely on consistent form.

Writing for Corriere della Sera, Terruzzi suggested that Formula 1 has entered a phase where apparent certainties disappear almost immediately. Teams capable of dominating one weekend can suddenly find themselves struggling the next, making it increasingly difficult to identify the true competitive picture as the championship progresses.

An F1 championship where momentum changes from one race to the next

According to Giorgio Terruzzi, the current Formula 1 campaign has become defined by dramatic shifts in performance rather than long-term trends. Every race weekend seems to produce a different competitive hierarchy, leaving fans, analysts and even the teams themselves searching for explanations.

He pointed to Mercedes as one of the clearest examples of this phenomenon. After appearing to lose momentum in recent rounds, George Russell returned to winning ways at the Red Bull Ring, once again demonstrating how quickly fortunes can change in Formula 1.

Terruzzi argued that the season has become one of constant surprises, misleading conclusions and unresolved mysteries. In his view, George Russell had been widely portrayed as a driver whose confidence had faded, but the British driver answered those doubts by producing an impressive recovery. He also noted that Kimi Antonelli openly admitted he had not approached the race in ideal physical condition, further illustrating how unpredictable circumstances continue to influence championship battles.

Ferrari’s dramatic performance swing raises fresh questions

While the championship’s unpredictable nature has affected every leading team, Giorgio Terruzzi reserved his strongest observations for Ferrari, whose dramatic loss of competitiveness in Austria came as a major surprise after the encouraging progress shown just one week earlier.

Following the breakthrough achieved at the Spanish Grand Prix, optimism around the Scuderia had grown considerably. Ferrari’s recent development package, together with the introduction of further power unit upgrades, had generated renewed belief that the Maranello squad could re-establish itself as a genuine contender at the front of the field.

Instead, the Austrian Grand Prix produced one of Ferrari’s most disappointing weekends of the season. Rather than challenging for podium positions, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc found themselves unable to match the pace of Mercedes, Max Verstappen’s Red Bull and, despite an unusually quiet weekend, McLaren.

The biggest mystery remains Ferrari’s inconsistency

For Giorgio Terruzzi, the most troubling aspect is not simply Ferrari’s disappointing result, but the absence of a convincing explanation for the team’s enormous fluctuations in performance. Just days after appearing capable of mounting a sustained challenge near the front, Ferrari unexpectedly dropped back, leaving observers searching for answers.

Terruzzi argued that the same uncertainty surrounded Ferrari during its strongest moments earlier in the season. Outstanding performances, including Lewis Hamilton’s impressive pace in Spain, were never fully explained, making the team’s subsequent decline even more difficult to understand.

This inconsistency has become one of the defining themes of Ferrari’s 2026 campaign. One weekend the SF-26 appears capable of fighting with the leading contenders, while at the next event it struggles to maintain the same level of competitiveness despite relatively similar expectations.

As Formula 1 heads toward the next chapter of the championship, Ferrari will be hoping to quickly rediscover the form shown only a week before Austria. With Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc still determined to maximize every opportunity, solving the mystery behind the SF-26’s unpredictable performance swings could prove crucial if Ferrari hopes to remain firmly involved in the fight at the front during the remainder of the 2026 Formula 1 season.