Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports analyst Martin Brundle believes Ferrari has finally built a genuinely competitive package under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations, but warned that recurring operational mistakes continue to undermine the team’s championship ambitions.
Despite clear progress with the SF-26 and encouraging signs from both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc throughout the opening phase of the season, Ferrari once again left the Miami Grand Prix facing criticism after another weekend filled with missed opportunities, strategic uncertainty and costly errors.
According to Martin Brundle, Ferrari’s biggest obstacle may no longer be outright car performance, but rather the team’s long-standing tendency to compromise its own potential during critical race moments.
Ferrari showing major progress under 2026 Formula 1 regulations
After several disappointing campaigns and a winless 2025 Formula 1 season, Ferrari entered the new regulatory era determined to return to championship contention. Early signs suggested the Scuderia had indeed made an important technical step forward with the SF-26.
The Ferrari package has shown particularly strong characteristics in low-speed and medium-speed corners, while the team’s aggressive launch system and compact turbo configuration have consistently delivered some of the strongest race starts on the grid.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have both benefited from the improved balance of the SF-26 compared to Ferrari’s previous cars. Across several circuits, Ferrari has demonstrated impressive qualifying speed and strong opening stints during races.
However, the Scuderia’s inability to consistently convert that raw pace into maximum race results has increasingly become the central storyline of their 2026 campaign.
Martin Brundle highlights Ferrari’s recurring Formula 1 weakness
Martin Brundle believes Ferrari has already proven that it can build a championship-calibre Formula 1 car under the latest regulations. Nevertheless, he suggested that internal mistakes and operational inconsistencies continue preventing the team from fully exploiting its potential.
Speaking during Sky Sports coverage, Martin Brundle explained that Ferrari appeared far stronger than in previous seasons and had adapted well to the demands of the new Formula 1 era. At the same time, he warned that the Italian team still carried a damaging tendency to create problems for itself during race weekends.
The former Formula 1 driver suggested that Ferrari’s repeated strategic misjudgements, execution errors and occasional driver mistakes were still costing the team valuable points in races where Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had the pace to challenge near the front.
Martin Brundle also emphasised that having two elite drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc gives Ferrari all the ingredients needed to compete for victories and potentially championships, provided the team can eliminate the self-inflicted setbacks that continue disrupting its weekends.
Miami Grand Prix exposed Ferrari’s operational frustrations again
The Miami Grand Prix became another example of Ferrari struggling to capitalise on its underlying speed. Charles Leclerc initially looked capable of fighting for a podium after leading the race during the opening stages, but Ferrari’s strategic decisions quickly complicated the situation.
The timing of Charles Leclerc’s pit stop ultimately allowed rival teams to gain track position through the undercut, leaving the Monegasque driver frustrated as his race unravelled during the second half of the Grand Prix.
Further complications followed when Charles Leclerc spun while attempting to close the gap to Oscar Piastri. The resulting damage forced him into survival mode during the final laps, and repeated track limit violations after the incident later resulted in a significant time penalty.
Lewis Hamilton also endured a difficult race in Miami. Contact with Alpine driver Franco Colapinto during an overtaking attempt caused damage to the Ferrari, impacting aerodynamic performance and significantly reducing Lewis Hamilton’s pace over the remainder of the event.
Even accounting for the damage, several observers noted that Lewis Hamilton lacked the outright competitiveness expected from Ferrari’s extensive Miami upgrade package.
Ferrari upgrades reveal deeper concerns around power unit performance
Ferrari introduced one of the most aggressive development packages seen on the grid in Miami, bringing a total of 11 upgrades to the SF-26. The changes targeted aerodynamic efficiency, suspension behaviour and overall balance improvements.
Despite the scale of the update programme, Ferrari still struggled to close the gap to McLaren and Mercedes across full race distance.
One of the most concerning areas reportedly remains Ferrari’s power unit performance. According to paddock analysis, Ferrari’s internal combustion engine may still lack acceleration compared to Mercedes, while the hybrid battery deployment system has not fully compensated for the shortfall.
Some estimates suggested Ferrari could have been operating at a deficit of up to 30 horsepower compared to Mercedes during the Miami weekend, a significant disadvantage on circuits requiring strong top-end efficiency and energy deployment.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc still give Ferrari championship hope
Despite Ferrari’s setbacks, Martin Brundle remains convinced that the Scuderia possesses the driver line-up necessary to challenge for Formula 1 titles if the team can maximise its opportunities more consistently.
Lewis Hamilton’s experience, race management and technical feedback remain major assets as Ferrari continues refining the SF-26 project, while Charles Leclerc’s raw speed and qualifying ability continue placing the team in strong positions at the start of race weekends.
However, Ferrari’s margin for error is becoming increasingly small as McLaren, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes continue developing rapidly under the new regulations.
The upcoming Canadian Grand Prix could therefore become an important benchmark for Ferrari’s season. Historically, Montreal has not always been one of Ferrari’s strongest circuits, but the race may provide a clearer indication of whether the Scuderia can finally transform promising pace into consistent championship-level execution.
Unless the Italian side eliminates the costly mistakes that Martin Brundle identified, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc may continue finding themselves fighting against not only rival teams, but also their own organisation’s recurring weaknesses.
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