Ferrari arrives at the Italian Grand Prix facing what could be a decisive weekend for its remaining ambitions in the 2026 Formula 1 championship. With Monza representing the Scuderia’s home race and the final ADUO-2 power unit evolution ready to debut, former Formula 1 driver Ivan Capelli believes the event could determine whether Ferrari can maintain genuine belief in a title challenge through the closing stages of the season.
The Maranello team has won two races so far in 2026, but significant gaps remain in both championships. Lewis Hamilton currently sits 59 points away from the lead in the Drivers’ standings, while Ferrari trails Mercedes by 87 points in the Constructors’ Championship. Those deficits make Monza particularly important as the season enters its decisive phase.
Ferrari brings ADUO-2 upgrade to Monza
Ferrari will introduce the power unit equipped with ADUO-2 at Monza, the second and final development token permitted under the regulations after the first specification made its debut in Austria. The latest evolution is expected to deliver another step forward from the SF-26 power unit at a circuit where outright performance will be particularly important.
The development is intended to complement a car that has already demonstrated very strong potential, especially over race distances. Ferrari has continued to work aggressively on the SF-26 throughout the campaign, with the ADUO-2 Monza power unit upgrade now forming one of the most significant elements of its latest development programme.
Further technical developments around the SF-26 can also be followed in our Ferrari technical analysis section, with Monza now providing an important test of whether the latest work can translate into a stronger overall package.
Ivan Capelli believes Ferrari is still on the edge of the title fight
For Ivan Capelli, the Italian Grand Prix is a genuine watershed moment. Speaking in his role as a Sky pundit, the former Ferrari driver made clear that he does not currently consider the Scuderia to be firmly established among the main championship favourites.
“At the moment, I see Ferrari on the fringes of the title fight,” Ivan Capelli explained. “At Monza, they are fighting for an emotional boost that can keep them believing until the end of the year.”
That assessment places added significance on Ferrari’s home event. Beyond the points available, a strong result in front of the Italian supporters could provide renewed momentum for a team still attempting to close substantial championship deficits. The Italian Grand Prix forms one of the key remaining events on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
Ferrari must turn its development work into results
Ivan Capelli also highlighted the amount of work Ferrari has put into improving the car compared with the previous season. In his view, the problem is no longer a lack of development effort, but extracting the maximum return from those upgrades on track.
“Ferrari has brought a huge number of updates and has not stood still like it did a year ago,” Ivan Capelli added. “It has to find a way to convert them into results in the same way McLaren does, because when McLaren brings new parts, it immediately gets major benefits.”
The challenge at Monza will therefore extend beyond the introduction of ADUO-2. Ferrari needs the upgraded package to produce a tangible performance gain if it is to reduce the gap to Mercedes and give Lewis Hamilton the opportunity to close his 59-point deficit in the Drivers’ Championship. The latest developments surrounding the seven-time world champion can be found in our Lewis Hamilton Ferrari coverage.
With two victories already secured but the championship gaps still considerable, Ferrari reaches its home Grand Prix with little room to waste opportunities. Monza will offer both an important technical test for the upgraded SF-26 and, as Ivan Capelli emphasised, a chance to generate the emotional momentum required to keep believing in the title fight through the final part of 2026.
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