Why Mercedes still believes Ferrari has two major problems despite Silverstone victory. Ferrari's title challenge still under threat as George Russell identifies key SF-26 weakness.

Ferrari may have left Silverstone celebrating an important victory, but not everyone in the Formula 1 paddock came away convinced that the SF-26 has become the benchmark car. While Charles Leclerc delivered a memorable win and Lewis Hamilton secured another podium for the Scuderia, rival Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli highlighted areas where Ferrari still appears vulnerable.

The British Grand Prix allowed Ferrari to close the gap to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship, while Lewis Hamilton also reduced the deficit to Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ standings. However, the final result arguably painted a more flattering picture than the actual pace shown throughout the weekend.

Mercedes appeared capable of challenging for victory until Kimi Antonelli‘s race was compromised by a mechanical issue. Before his retirement, the young Italian had been steadily closing in on Charles Leclerc and looked increasingly likely to mount a serious attack for the lead.

George Russell believes Mercedes still holds the advantage on the straights

Although Ferrari introduced an upgraded power unit package earlier in the season, George Russell suggested after the race that Mercedes continues to enjoy a meaningful advantage in straight-line performance. Reflecting on his battle with Lewis Hamilton, the British driver explained that he remained confident he could defend his position because Mercedes still possessed superior speed on the straights.

Ferrari’s latest engine developments, including the first stage of its ADUO upgrade package introduced in Austria, have undoubtedly reduced the performance deficit. Lewis Hamilton’s Sprint pole position at Silverstone demonstrated that the SF-26 has made significant progress, particularly on a circuit where power unit efficiency plays a crucial role.

Even so, the race itself exposed an important limitation. Whenever Lewis Hamilton found himself battling Mercedes on track, he was often forced to use aggressive battery deployment simply to remain competitive. While the Italian side has narrowed the horsepower gap, Mercedes still appears to hold a small but valuable advantage in maximum acceleration and energy deployment over a race distance.

That is precisely why Ferrari continues to place considerable importance on the second and final engine upgrade permitted under the current development regulations. The package, expected after the summer break, could prove decisive if the Scuderia hopes to eliminate the remaining deficit before the championship enters its decisive phase.

Tyre degradation remains another major concern for Ferrari

Straight-line performance is only one part of Ferrari’s challenge. The Silverstone weekend also reinforced concerns about tyre management, an area that has repeatedly influenced the SF-26’s race pace during the 2026 Formula 1 season.

While Lewis Hamilton’s aggressive three-stop strategy proved successful in Barcelona, the SF-26 single-seater struggled much more noticeably with tyre degradation in Austria. Some observers believe these two issues may actually be connected.

If Ferrari loses time on the straights compared to Mercedes, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are forced to recover that performance through the corners by carrying greater speed and pushing harder on corner exit. Although this approach allows the SF-26 to remain competitive over a single lap, it inevitably places additional stress on the Pirelli tyres, accelerating wear over longer stints.

Kimi Antonelli’s pace reinforced Mercedes’ confidence

Kimi Antonelli also pointed to Mercedes’ tyre performance following the Sprint race. The Italian suggested that Mercedes enjoyed a clear advantage in tyre degradation, allowing the team to maintain stronger pace as the laps progressed.

That advantage became increasingly visible during the Sprint itself, where Kimi Antonelli produced the fastest lap on the final tour after overtaking Lewis Hamilton several laps earlier and steadily extending his advantage.

The same pattern appeared to continue during Sunday’s Grand Prix. Mercedes was able to keep Kimi Antonelli on track significantly longer than Charles Leclerc before making his pit stop, creating what looked to be a highly favourable tyre offset for the closing stages of the race. Without the mechanical failure that forced his retirement, many believed Mercedes had a genuine opportunity to fight for victory.

Can Ferrari eliminate its remaining weaknesses?

Ferrari’s recent progress should not be underestimated. The SF-26 has become a genuine race-winning package thanks to continuous aerodynamic improvements and meaningful gains from its revised power unit. Nevertheless, Silverstone also highlighted that there is still work to do before the team can consistently outperform Mercedes across every type of circuit.

If Ferrari can unlock additional straight-line performance through its upcoming engine upgrade while simultaneously improving tyre management over long race stints, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc could become even stronger championship contenders during the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season.

However, should these weaknesses persist, Mercedes may continue to hold the upper hand in direct wheel-to-wheel battles, regardless of the Maranello team’s growing competitiveness. With every point becoming increasingly valuable in both championships, solving those final performance limitations could ultimately determine whether Ferrari’s title challenge ends in celebration or frustration.