Ferrari’s difficulties in the 2026 Formula 1 season may extend beyond its power unit, according to former Scuderia driver Jean Alesi, who believes aerodynamic drag could also be contributing to the SF-26’s straight-line speed deficit. With attention increasingly turning towards 2027, the former Ferrari driver has warned against treating the engine as the sole explanation for the Maranello team’s performance limitations.
The temptation to identify the power unit as the main cause of Ferrari’s problems is understandable, particularly in a season when the competitiveness of the new generation of Formula 1 cars depends heavily on the integration of the internal combustion engine, electrical components and energy management. However, focusing exclusively on the engine, which has demonstrated genuine weaknesses, risks overlooking other factors that could significantly influence the SF-26’s overall performance.
This is the perspective offered by Jean Alesi, who has urged Ferrari to consider aerodynamic efficiency as well as power-unit performance when preparing for 2027. In particular, the former driver has highlighted aerodynamic drag, the resistance a car encounters as it moves through the air, as a factor capable of limiting maximum speed and compromising competitiveness at circuits featuring long straights.
Writing in his regular Tuesday column for Corriere della Sera, Jean Alesi questioned whether the explanation for Ferrari’s struggles might be too simplistic: “I’m not convinced that Ferrari’s problems are only down to the engine. I’m thinking about the car’s air resistance, which is often decisive when it comes to achieving greater speed on the straights.”
Jean Alesi questions Ferrari’s power-unit deficit and aerodynamic efficiency
Jean Alesi’s observation deserves attention because it shifts the discussion away from an individual component and towards the overall behaviour of the SF-26. The amount of power available is not the only factor determining a Formula 1 car’s straight-line speed. Equally important is how efficiently the car moves through the air and how much aerodynamic resistance it generates.
A car can deliver competitive power output and still lose ground to its rivals if its aerodynamic configuration produces excessive drag. The balance between generating sufficient downforce through corners and limiting resistance on the straights is therefore fundamental to overall performance, particularly when the differences between the leading teams are relatively small.
This issue is especially relevant under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, which place considerable importance on energy management and the deployment of electrical power. Straight-line performance results from several interacting factors, including the power actually delivered, aerodynamic drag, gear ratios, tyre conditions and how the available energy is used throughout the lap.
Ferrari’s struggles at the United States Grand Prix provided a particularly revealing example. During the Austin weekend, the SF-26 demonstrated encouraging performance through the corners but continued to lose ground along the circuit’s main acceleration zones. The contrast was evident in the 25 km/h speed difference recorded between Charles Leclerc and Andrea Kimi Antonelli during their battle at the Circuit of the Americas.
However, such measurements cannot establish the precise contribution of the power unit or aerodynamic resistance on their own. Recorded speeds can be influenced by several variables, and separating the effects of power delivery, energy deployment and aerodynamic configuration requires more detailed comparative analysis. The differences between drivers and sessions can also be explored through the F1 Top Speed Comparison, which provides additional context for recorded straight-line performance.
None of this means Ferrari’s power unit is free from responsibility, or that aerodynamic drag must necessarily be the SF-26’s principal weakness. Establishing the relative importance of each issue would require precise data capable of distinguishing performance losses caused by insufficient power from those resulting from aerodynamic resistance and the car’s configuration.
The central point raised by Jean Alesi is that attributing every difficulty to the engine could leave another important area of technical development receiving insufficient attention. Ferrari’s challenge is to understand how its various performance limitations interact, rather than assuming that one component explains the entire deficit.
Why Ferrari must investigate more than its V6 power unit for 2027
The distinction could have important consequences for Ferrari’s development priorities ahead of the 2027 Formula 1 season. If the performance gap were caused exclusively by the V6 power unit developed by the department led by Enrico Gualtieri, the solution would primarily involve improving the propulsion system within the limits permitted by the regulations.
However, if a significant proportion of the performance deficit is linked to aerodynamic efficiency, improvements to the engine alone would not be sufficient. A more powerful power unit could deliver gains, but those improvements might be partially offset if the car continued to generate excessive drag or operated with an inefficient aerodynamic configuration.
Competitive performance depends on the different elements of a Formula 1 car working together effectively. The chassis, aerodynamic package, power unit and energy management systems must complement one another, ensuring that progress achieved in one area is not undermined by limitations elsewhere.
Ferrari has already received some encouraging technical indications from its latest developments. The aerodynamic upgrades introduced at Austin appeared to improve the SF-26’s competitiveness, but the team’s continuing straight-line limitations demonstrated that further work remains necessary. The issue is therefore not simply whether Ferrari can produce more power, but whether it can improve the efficiency of the complete package.
Jean Alesi sees encouraging signs in Ferrari’s battle with Mercedes
Jean Alesi’s assessment is not limited to the technical challenges awaiting Ferrari in 2027. The former Scuderia driver also believes the remaining races of 2026 could provide an opportunity for the Maranello team to finish the season strongly, particularly given its improving position relative to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship.
In his Corriere della Sera column, Jean Alesi explained: “The Constructors’ Championship standings now show that the gap to Mercedes has narrowed considerably. I’m not saying I’m thinking about overtaking them, but certainly about a great end to the season.”
The former Ferrari driver’s assessment reflects a cautious degree of optimism rather than a prediction that the championship order will be overturned. His expectation is that the Scuderia could continue reducing its performance deficit to the leading teams, building on the progress demonstrated at Austin and ending the campaign with more encouraging indications.
A strong finish would be valuable not only for the championship standings but also from a technical perspective. Each remaining Grand Prix offers Ferrari an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of its upgrades, understand the SF-26’s behaviour under different operating conditions and gather information that could contribute to the development of its next car.
Nevertheless, closing the gap in the Constructors’ Championship would not automatically demonstrate that Ferrari has resolved its structural weaknesses. The performance of rival teams, the characteristics of individual circuits and the ability to exploit opportunities during a race weekend can all influence the standings without necessarily eliminating fundamental technical differences.
For that reason, the improvement anticipated by Jean Alesi should be viewed as a possibility that Ferrari must demonstrate on track, rather than evidence that its recovery is already complete. The remaining rounds will provide an opportunity to establish whether the progress observed in Austin can be sustained across different circuits and conditions.
Ferrari’s 2027 F1 development requires a complete technical diagnosis
Jean Alesi’s comments ultimately raise a broader question about how Ferrari should approach its next development cycle. Accurately identifying the origins of the SF-26’s missing performance will be essential if the team is to avoid making improvements that address only part of the problem.
The power unit remains a central element of the equation, but it cannot become a universal explanation for every limitation encountered by the car. Aerodynamic drag, the compromise between downforce and maximum speed, chassis efficiency and the integration of the different technical systems all contribute to the final result.
Even the ability to optimise the car’s set-up for the characteristics of individual circuits can create significant performance differences, especially when the margins separating the leading Formula 1 teams are narrow. A configuration that performs effectively through demanding corners may require compromises elsewhere, making the overall balance of the package particularly important.
Ferrari’s engineers will therefore need to distinguish the shortcomings genuinely attributable to the power unit from those originating in the wider design of the car. This is more complicated than identifying a single component as responsible, but it is essential to developing a more competitive machine.
Increasing power output without correcting a potential aerodynamic efficiency deficit might not deliver the expected improvement. Equally, refining the aerodynamic package would not necessarily eliminate weaknesses linked to electrical deployment or the internal combustion engine. The challenge is to determine precisely where Ferrari loses performance, understand why those losses occur and identify which interventions can produce the greatest overall benefit.
From Jean Alesi’s perspective, a return to consistent competitiveness at the front of Formula 1 will require more than an isolated technical solution. The final races of 2026 will provide an initial opportunity to examine Ferrari’s progress, while the bigger objective will be translating the information gathered into a stronger car for the following championship.
Ultimately, Ferrari must ensure that its 2027 challenger can exploit the Scuderia’s full potential without carrying forward the limitations exposed by the SF-26. The answer may involve improvements to the power unit, greater aerodynamic efficiency and a more effective integration of the complete technical package. As Jean Alesi suggests, understanding the true origins of the performance deficit will be just as important as developing the solutions needed to eliminate it.
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