Lewis Hamilton has firmly established himself as a genuine contender in the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, but Ferrari insiders reportedly understand that one of the team’s biggest limitations may not be completely solved this season, regardless of how many upgrades arrive in the coming months.
The Scuderia has enjoyed a remarkable transformation since the start of the campaign. Under Formula 1’s new regulations, Ferrari has emerged as one of the strongest forces on the grid, and much of that progress has been linked to the technical direction adopted after carefully evaluating Lewis Hamilton’s feedback following his arrival in Maranello.
The results are beginning to speak for themselves. Lewis Hamilton secured his first victory in Ferrari colors at the Spanish Grand Prix, confirming the significant progress made by the Italian team. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion now finds himself firmly involved in the championship battle, a scenario that appeared highly unlikely just a few months ago.
However, while Ferrari’s trajectory has been overwhelmingly positive, there remains a major obstacle standing between Lewis Hamilton and a realistic championship assault: Mercedes.
The Brackley-based team dominated the opening phase of the season, winning every race before Ferrari’s breakthrough success in Barcelona. Although the gap has narrowed thanks to Ferrari’s aggressive development program, there is a growing belief inside Maranello that matching Mercedes completely may still be beyond reach during the current campaign.
Ferrari continue chasing performance through aggressive engine development
One of Ferrari’s primary objectives throughout 2026 has been reducing the performance deficit associated with its power unit. While the SF-26 has shown impressive aerodynamic efficiency, strong race pace, and improved balance, the team has often appeared vulnerable in terms of outright engine performance compared to its direct rivals.
Engine specialists in Maranello have therefore been working intensively to extract additional power and efficiency from the current package.
Lewis Hamilton reportedly made a major step forward during testing activities at Fiorano, particularly regarding the management and deployment of the battery systems. That progress has allowed the British driver to better understand how to maximize the performance available from the power unit over a race weekend.
Ferrari is also expected to benefit significantly from Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities initiative. The FIA granted Ferrari two extra opportunities to improve its power unit architecture across the 2026 and 2027 seasons, placing the Scuderia alongside Audi and Honda among the manufacturers eligible for additional development allowances.
The first major evolution of that project is expected to arrive at the Austrian Grand Prix. Expectations surrounding the upgrade have grown considerably in recent weeks, with several figures inside the paddock suggesting it could represent one of Ferrari’s most important technical developments of the season.
Some rivals are already paying close attention. There is growing speculation that Ferrari’s latest power unit improvements could provide a meaningful boost in performance, particularly on circuits where straight-line speed plays a decisive role.
Yet despite the optimism surrounding the upgrade package, there remains a widespread view within Formula 1 that Mercedes continues to possess the benchmark overall package on the grid.
Interestingly, while the FIA reportedly considers Red Bull’s power unit to be the most powerful in outright terms, Mercedes continues to combine strong engine performance, excellent energy deployment, and an exceptionally competitive chassis, creating a package that remains difficult to beat consistently.
Ferrari reportedly accepts that Mercedes may remain out of reach
According to respected Italian journalist Leo Turrini, Ferrari engineers remain realistic about what can be achieved through the upcoming upgrades.
Writing on his personal blog, Turrini suggested that Ferrari’s technical department is pushing extremely hard to have the revised power unit ready as early as Austria. However, he indicated that there is little expectation inside Maranello that the upgrade alone will completely eliminate Mercedes’ advantage.
Turrini explained that Ferrari’s engineers, led by Enrico Gualtieri, reportedly believe the current gap can be reduced substantially but not entirely erased.
The assessment suggests that if Ferrari currently trails Mercedes by approximately thirty horsepower, the planned upgrades could potentially cut that deficit by roughly half. While such progress would represent a major achievement, it would still leave Mercedes with a measurable advantage. The situation becomes even more complicated because Ferrari is not the only manufacturer benefiting from additional development opportunities.
Mercedes is also entitled to make improvements under the same framework, particularly in areas linked to electrical systems and energy recovery technology. Historically, the battery system has been considered one of the few relative weaknesses within Mercedes’ power unit package.
If Mercedes successfully addresses that area, Ferrari’s task could become even more challenging. As a result, Ferrari’s development battle is not simply about gaining performance. It is also about ensuring that its rivals do not move forward at the same pace.
Can Lewis Hamilton still win the 2026 Formula 1 title?
Despite these concerns, the championship picture remains far from settled.
Lewis Hamilton currently trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 41 points, but recent Formula 1 history demonstrates that such a gap is far from insurmountable. Only a season ago, Max Verstappen managed to recover an enormous deficit and re-enter championship contention during the latter stages of the campaign. Momentum can change rapidly in Formula 1, particularly when reliability issues, upgrades, and strategic mistakes begin influencing results.
Lewis Hamilton himself has consistently projected confidence regarding Ferrari’s trajectory. Following his second-place finish in Monaco, the British driver made it clear that he believed catching Kimi Antonelli remained entirely possible. That confidence was reinforced in Spain. Kimi Antonelli’s retirement, combined with Lewis Hamilton’s dominant victory, allowed Ferrari to significantly reduce the points gap in a single weekend.
Even so, Lewis Hamilton has remained cautious when discussing championship expectations. The Ferrari driver has repeatedly acknowledged that the title fight remains a long-term objective rather than an immediate reality.
Such caution is understandable.
Ferrari has unquestionably made major strides forward, and the team now appears far better positioned than it was at the beginning of the season. The car is more competitive, the operational execution has improved dramatically, and Lewis Hamilton seems increasingly comfortable within the organization. Charles Leclerc has also played an important role in Ferrari’s progress, contributing valuable feedback that has helped refine the SF-26 throughout the season. Together, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have helped push Ferrari back into genuine championship contention.
Yet Formula 1 titles are rarely won through momentum alone. Ferrari still faces the difficult task of overcoming what many consider the strongest package in the sport.
The upcoming Austrian Grand Prix could provide an important indication of whether Ferrari’s latest technical innovations are enough to further reduce the gap. If the new power unit performs as expected, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc may find themselves even closer to the front.
But even Ferrari’s own engineers appear aware that reducing Mercedes’ advantage and eliminating it entirely are two very different challenges.
That reality does not end Ferrari’s championship dream. It simply highlights how demanding the road to a Formula 1 world title remains, even during a season that has already exceeded many expectations in Maranello.
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