Ferrari entered the Austrian Grand Prix hoping to build on the momentum generated by Lewis Hamilton‘s impressive victory in Barcelona. Instead, the Red Bull Ring exposed several weaknesses of the SF-26, leaving the Scuderia unable to challenge Mercedes, Red Bull and, ultimately, McLaren during the race.
The performance was so unexpected that even McLaren driver Lando Norris admitted he was surprised by Ferrari’s struggles, revealing that he felt sympathy for the Maranello team after watching both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc battle with a lack of straight-line performance and severe tyre degradation.
Austria exposed Ferrari’s remaining weaknesses
After introducing the first ADUO-related power unit upgrade of the season, Ferrari had expected to make noticeable progress on one of Formula 1’s most power-sensitive circuits. However, the improvements proved less significant than anticipated.
The team attempted to repeat the aggressive three-stop strategy that had helped Lewis Hamilton secure victory in Barcelona, but the circumstances at the Red Bull Ring were completely different. Excessive rear tyre degradation, combined with an apparent power deficit, prevented Ferrari from maintaining competitive race pace throughout the Grand Prix.
While Lewis Hamilton managed to limit the damage by finishing fifth, Charles Leclerc endured an even more frustrating afternoon, crossing the finish line in eighth after struggling to defend his position against faster rivals.
Throughout the race, both Ferrari drivers found themselves particularly vulnerable on the straights, where the SF-26 consistently lacked the speed needed to attack or defend effectively.
Lando Norris admits Ferrari’s struggles were unexpected
Reflecting on the Austrian Grand Prix after the race, Lando Norris admitted that Ferrari’s performance was one of the biggest surprises of the weekend.
The McLaren driver explained that Ferrari’s lack of straight-line speed forced the team into an impossible compromise. According to Norris, when a car is already suffering from a power deficit, drivers are forced to push harder in every corner and acceleration zone simply to remain competitive. That extra effort inevitably places additional stress on the tyres, making degradation even more severe over a race distance.
“The biggest surprise today was seeing Ferrari struggle so much. Honestly, I felt sorry for them. When you’re lacking power, you have to push flat out everywhere, both on the straights and through the corners, but with that level of tyre degradation it’s simply impossible to keep doing that,” Norris explained after the race.
His comments echoed what many analysts observed throughout the weekend, as Ferrari appeared trapped between two problems: insufficient straight-line performance and tyre wear that became progressively worse the harder the drivers pushed.
Ferrari now turns its attention to Silverstone
Although Austria represented a disappointing setback, Ferrari remains optimistic that Silverstone will provide a much more representative test of the SF-26.
The British Grand Prix places greater emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency, chassis stability and high-speed cornering—areas where Ferrari has generally looked stronger throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will therefore hope the characteristics of Silverstone allow the team to demonstrate the true potential of its latest development package.
The Scuderia also continues working on further ADUO power unit evolutions, with additional upgrades expected later in the season as Ferrari attempts to close the remaining gap to Mercedes and Red Bull.
McLaren also continues searching for improvements
Despite finishing ahead of Ferrari in Austria, Lando Norris admitted that McLaren was far from completely satisfied with the performance of its own package.
According to the British driver, the MCL40 showed encouraging race pace compared to expectations, but significant balance issues remain. He acknowledged that the car is still extremely demanding to drive, although he suggested many teams are facing similar challenges under Formula 1’s current technical regulations.
As Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull continue introducing upgrades throughout the season, the battle at the front of the championship remains exceptionally close. For Ferrari, however, the lessons learned in Austria will make the upcoming races at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps particularly important in determining whether the SF-26 can return to fighting consistently at the front with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Leave a Reply