Jock Clear, a former member of both Mercedes and Ferrari, has outlined the key reasons why the German manufacturer is not enjoying as dominant an advantage over the Scuderia as it might appear. “It’s not about the…” he said, also drawing comparisons with the 2014 Formula 1 season.
At present, the Silver Arrows still benefit from a noticeable performance gap over their rivals, including their own customer teams. Ferrari, on the other hand, does not yet have an outstanding power unit, although work is already underway in Maranello to introduce a more powerful version. Even so, Mercedes cannot afford to relax: “It’s not about the…,” Jock Clear emphasized, hinting that the situation is far more nuanced than it seems on paper.
So far, Mercedes has demonstrated a clear edge particularly in qualifying, where the team appears capable of unlocking an extra level of performance reminiscent of the old ‘Party Mode’. Ferrari, by contrast, has struggled on the straights, with the SF-26 suffering from higher drag levels and running an internal combustion engine concept similar to 2025, which offers limited room for further development.
In Maranello, however, development work continues relentlessly on a new power unit. That upgrade is not expected to arrive before July, also thanks to the contribution of the ADUO system. The big question remains how quickly Ferrari can close the gap—and Jock Clear has offered his perspective on how the competitive order could evolve over the coming races.
Clear: “They know Ferrari will overtake them at the start”
Speaking to CasinoHawks, Jock Clear reflected on his unique experience, having witnessed Mercedes’ era of dominance firsthand while also understanding Ferrari’s internal dynamics. He shared his view on the 2026 season and how the balance of power might shift:
“I don’t think Mercedes has anything else up its sleeve, and at the moment they have an advantage of about three tenths. With the new regulations, they have come out slightly ahead, just like in 2014, but this is not the kind of dominance we saw back then. I was working at Mercedes during that period, and in the early races we didn’t even push in qualifying because it simply wasn’t necessary.”
The Ferrari SF-26 has, however, displayed outstanding aerodynamic efficiency and strong mechanical characteristics. The decision to run a smaller turbocharger—while not drastically different from Mercedes’ solution—has allowed the Scuderia to optimize its race starts more effectively.
While this is an area that all teams are expected to refine over time, Ferrari has so far managed to exploit this advantage, consistently putting pressure on Mercedes right from the lights. As Clear explained:
“Now, they have to give it everything because Ferrari is close enough to beat them. They also know that at the start Ferrari will probably overtake them into the first corner, so they absolutely have to start from the front row.”
Looking ahead, development will play a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the championship. Ferrari is expected to introduce its first major upgrade package in Miami, although the new components will initially be tested during a 200 km filming day at Monza.
According to Clear, the current gap could shrink much faster than many expect:
“In a normal year, we would be talking about almost a full season of development, but with the regulations as they are and with the small adjustments currently being made, teams will definitely continue to improve race after race. I expect those three tenths to disappear quickly. There’s a real chance this could become an exciting Formula 1 championship, with teams having the time to properly evaluate what they have and continue developing it.”
Leave a Reply