Ferrari facing first real disappointment of the 2026 Formula 1 season?
Ferrari began the 2026 Formula 1 campaign trailing Mercedes, but there was strong confidence inside Maranello that the first major upgrades of the new regulatory cycle could allow the team to consistently challenge at the front of the grid.
The first major turning point of the season was expected to arrive at the Miami Grand Prix, where team principal Frederic Vasseur had promised what he described as “one and a half upgrade packages” for the Ferrari SF-26.
However, the American race weekend did not unfold as Ferrari supporters had hoped. The two Ferrari cars driven by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton remained behind Mercedes throughout the weekend, while McLaren also continued to show superior pace. Red Bull appeared to make significant progress as well thanks to its latest development package, placing Ferrari under even greater pressure.
Rather than becoming the breakthrough moment many expected, Miami instead raised fresh questions about Ferrari’s current competitiveness and long-term development direction in Formula 1.
With the revised Ferrari power unit featuring the much-discussed “ADUO boost” reportedly not expected before the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, uncertainty is now growing over how the Scuderia plans to approach the next six races of the championship.
Karun Chandhok criticizes Ferrari’s development progress
Speaking after the Miami Grand Prix, former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sports UK analyst Karun Chandhok did not hide his concerns regarding Ferrari’s latest upgrades.
“If this is Ferrari’s major upgrade package for the first half of the season, then McLaren and Mercedes will not be worried,” Karun Chandhok said.
“Miami should have been the weekend where Ferrari made the step forward, but instead I got the feeling that they slipped even further behind. There should be some concern inside Maranello and within Ferrari itself.”
Karun Chandhok also suggested that Ferrari must quickly determine whether there is still additional performance hidden within the current package.
“They need to understand if there is more performance to optimize or unlock from these upgrades, otherwise they will remain behind when McLaren introduces further developments in Canada and Mercedes brings its own major upgrade package,” he added.
The comments reflect the growing pressure surrounding Ferrari as the Formula 1 development race intensifies during the middle phase of the 2026 season. While Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton continue working to maximize the potential of the SF-26, rival teams appear to be making faster progress in both qualifying pace and long-run race performance.
Ferrari now faces a crucial period before the European phase of the calendar intensifies, with upcoming races likely to determine whether the Scuderia can still fight consistently for victories or whether McLaren and Mercedes will begin pulling further ahead in the championship battle.
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