2026 Scuderia Ferrari HP F1 Team

[AmateurDriver]

I rather think this is alarming for the fact, that they are even close to 4% deficit. That would mean that Merc is using more sandbags than we see. And 4% is a deficit they will never be able to catch with one update...not even close.

Merc is not sandbagging unless they have also convinced McLaren and Alpine to sandbag. McLaren is a genuine threat to their pace, so they have to run the engine at full beans, or else McLaren will win.

The 4% deficit isn’t alarming for Ferrari, it’s alarming for Mercedes and McLaren, who are like 2-3 tenths ahead if Ferrari despite a 4% power advantage in an engine formula.

Ferrari isn’t bringing ”one update” that is trying to squeeze more power out of the current engine. They are bringing a brand new engine concept. It will be completely different in basically every regard.

Wow, so much nonsense in one post...

1. Merc turned down the engine is clearly visible if we just compare how much they still have in the bag if they need to go for fast laps during the race. In Melbourne they were just limiting it by their driving, but could easily pull a second over everyone else. This is stongly limited now suggesting they are using less powerful engine settings.
2. The settings are equal for all Merc powered teams. They turned it down for everyone. And yes, McLaren is giving them a run for their money, but this is not related to the current engine sandbagging, as the same sandbagging will be on every Merc powered car.
3. Ferrari can not bring a completely new engines. This is simply not possible by the rules. ADUO allows for one or two additional upgrades and a small amount of extra test bench time.
4. ADUO is not a leap-frog mechanism. FIA controls it to be not this or something like a BoP. If they are really 2% behind Merc, ADUO will help them to get to close to 1% maybe. Not more.

Are you sure you are instead making a lot of sense? Merc cannot turn down the power units of their customers. Indeed customers have free and independent access to power unit setting knobs, otherwise they could not freely decide the down-turning amount in practice or Q1. And if they turn down engines by purposely limiting electrical power by software, then they can't find extra power to go for fast laps if needed during races.

[sucof]

Are you sure you are instead making a lot of sense? Merc cannot turn down the power units of their customers. Indeed customers have free and independent access to power unit setting knobs, otherwise they could not freely decide the down-turning amount in practice or Q1. And if they turn down engines by purposely limiting electrical power by software, then they can't find extra power to go for fast laps if needed during races.

Engines are too complex to state things like this. There are soooo many things Merc can change that limits its power... Just think about it. If Mclaren could change everything, they could even pump out more from the Merc engine than they do.
In such a strong competition, I would not trust my opposition to provide me the exact same engine in a million years. They just do it outside the obvious.
For example, even within teams, one driver often receives a stronger engine, because they measure them and each is a bit different. And you can select which one you give to your customers.

[AmateurDriver]

they could even pump out more from the Merc engine than they do.

It would be unsafe reliability-wise, and Merc would (quite rightly) decline responsibilities.

For example, even within teams, one driver often receives a stronger engine, because they measure them and each is a bit different. And you can select which one you give to your customers.

Why? Selection can be made randomly, all engines being put in a row, in the presence of FIA marshals.
PS
IIRC, that is already the way tires are assigned to the different teams.

[S D]

I rather think this is alarming for the fact, that they are even close to 4% deficit. That would mean that Merc is using more sandbags than we see. And 4% is a deficit they will never be able to catch with one update...not even close.

Merc is not sandbagging unless they have also convinced McLaren and Alpine to sandbag. McLaren is a genuine threat to their pace, so they have to run the engine at full beans, or else McLaren will win.

The 4% deficit isn’t alarming for Ferrari, it’s alarming for Mercedes and McLaren, who are like 2-3 tenths ahead if Ferrari despite a 4% power advantage in an engine formula.

Ferrari isn’t bringing ”one update” that is trying to squeeze more power out of the current engine. They are bringing a brand new engine concept. It will be completely different in basically every regard.

Wow, so much nonsense in one post...

1. Merc turned down the engine is clearly visible if we just compare how much they still have in the bag if they need to go for fast laps during the race. In Melbourne they were just limiting it by their driving, but could easily pull a second over everyone else. This is stongly limited now suggesting they are using less powerful engine settings.
2. The settings are equal for all Merc powered teams. They turned it down for everyone. And yes, McLaren is giving them a run for their money, but this is not related to the current engine sandbagging, as the same sandbagging will be on every Merc powered car.
3. Ferrari can not bring a completely new engines. This is simply not possible by the rules. ADUO allows for one or two additional upgrades and a small amount of extra test bench time.
4. ADUO is not a leap-frog mechanism. FIA controls it to be not this or something like a BoP. If they are really 2% behind Merc, ADUO will help them to get to close to 1% maybe. Not more.

"Less powerful engine settings" may not necessarily be sandbagging. The higher setting may be used sparingly for reliability whereas always using the higher setting could mean a shorter life for the engine. They probably only use it when they really need it.

[AR3-GP]

Are you sure you are instead making a lot of sense? Merc cannot turn down the power units of their customers. Indeed customers have free and independent access to power unit setting knobs, otherwise they could not freely decide the down-turning amount in practice or Q1. And if they turn down engines by purposely limiting electrical power by software, then they can't find extra power to go for fast laps if needed during races.

Engines are too complex to state things like this. There are soooo many things Merc can change that limits its power... Just think about it. If Mclaren could change everything, they could even pump out more from the Merc engine than they do.
In such a strong competition, I would not trust my opposition to provide me the exact same engine in a million years. They just do it outside the obvious.
For example, even within teams, one driver often receives a stronger engine, because they measure them and each is a bit different. And you can select which one you give to your customers.

1) It’s a torque meter measurement. Mclaren aren’t “pumping out” more than Mercedes

2) HPP randomly allocates the PUs to the 4 teams. There’s no special PU for the factory team.

[sucof]

they could even pump out more from the Merc engine than they do.

It would be unsafe reliability-wise, and Merc would (quite rightly) decline responsibilities.

For example, even within teams, one driver often receives a stronger engine, because they measure them and each is a bit different. And you can select which one you give to your customers.

Why? Selection can be made randomly, all engines being put in a row, in the presence of FIA marshals.
PS
IIRC, that is already the way tires are assigned to the different teams.

I am saying this with the most helpful respect: You are very naive.
Trust me, they WILL do everything they can think of to give opponents worse engines and settings.
They will not even try to select randomly. They would just laugh at such ideas I am sure

[dans79]

2) HPP randomly allocates the PUs to the 4 teams. There’s no special PU for the factory team.

Not to mention the rules forbid any kind of preferential treatment.

[AmateurDriver]

they could even pump out more from the Merc engine than they do.

It would be unsafe reliability-wise, and Merc would (quite rightly) decline responsibilities.

For example, even within teams, one driver often receives a stronger engine, because they measure them and each is a bit different. And you can select which one you give to your customers.

Why? Selection can be made randomly, all engines being put in a row, in the presence of FIA marshals.
PS
IIRC, that is already the way tires are assigned to the different teams.

I am saying this with the most helpful respect: You are very naive.
Trust me, they WILL do everything they can think of to give opponents worse engines and settings.
They will not even try to select randomly. They would just laugh at such ideas I am sure

I am saying this with the most helpful reapect: try to understand what people say before answering.

[urtsee]

2) HPP randomly allocates the PUs to the 4 teams. There’s no special PU for the factory team.

That must be a new policy

[hollus]

And now, please, let's drop the "does Mercedes mess up with McLaren?" discussion in the Ferrari team thread.
You will not converge on an answer anyways.
And thank you.

[Luscion]

Autoracer and FormulaTecnica talking about Ferrari's front wing compared the others like Lewis mentioned in Miami



Autoracer - https://autoracer.it/analisi-ferrari-sf ... l-mclaren/. theres more in the article, including pics for comparisons.

Lewis Hamilton’s comments following the Miami GP have shone a spotlight on a specific part of the SF-26: the front wing. The seven-time world champion did not claim that Ferrari’s entire performance deficit stems from there, but he suggested that it is certainly an area in need of improvement. This comes as no surprise to readers of this column, as it was clear from the start that the Maranello team had focused primarily on the rear of the SF-26, remaining rather conservative at the front—unlike McLaren. “Just look at the front wing of the others and compare it to ours: you can see the difference,” Hamilton explained, implying that the issue is not merely visual but primarily functional.

Within Ferrari, they have worked extensively on the outer part of the wing, which clearly aligns with diverting flows outward. However, the difference seems to lie in the intensity of the approach: Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes use the front wing in a more integrated way with the floor, sidepods, and rear axle, while Ferrari gives the impression of primarily seeking stability and consistency on the front axle. The SF-26 appears to have a solid front end, capable of giving the driver confidence in the first phase of the corner, but what happens next? If this pursuit of front stability does not produce sufficient aerodynamic cleanliness at the floor and sidepod level, the initial advantage can turn into a disadvantage in the second part of the corner and on the following straight.

In 2026, this balance becomes even more delicate, because the aerodynamics no longer operate in a single configuration. The cars must transition from a high-downforce condition, useful through corners, to a lower-downforce configuration on the straights. In this scenario, the front wing must function across a much wider window than in the past: it must provide consistency when the car enters a corner, but it must also keep the flow well-organised when the angle of attack is reduced and the car seeks efficiency on the straight. It is also on this front that Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes appear to have built an advantage. Not necessarily by generating more front-end downforce, but because their front wing appears to perform better across the many situations that this major component must handle

Theres talks of Ferrari bringing a new front wing to Canada but havent heard anything about it from AT themselves

[PlatinumZealot]

When is the end of term on Fred's contract. I think it's time to let him go. Need someone new.

[dans79]

When is the end of term on Fred's contract. I think it's time to let him go. Need someone new.

No, this is the problem with Ferrari, every time something doesn't work out they fire people. This is why they have been unsuccessful for so long.

[sucof]

When is the end of term on Fred's contract. I think it's time to let him go. Need someone new.

Oh no not again!!
Please stop with this silly "whom to fire next" game...
No real company and team works like this. You need to finetune things, find the small errors, not go in there like an elephant in to a porcelain shop and destroy everything, excepting a new and better shop for tomorrow!
Also, I think he is doing a good job.

[PlatinumZealot]

When is the end of term on Fred's contract. I think it's time to let him go. Need someone new.

Oh no not again!!
Please stop with this silly "whom to fire next" game...
No real company and team works like this. You need to finetune things, find the small errors, not go in there like an elephant in to a porcelain shop and destroy everything, excepting a new and better shop for tomorrow!
Also, I think he is doing a good job.

The team has gone backwards!

Upgrades that don't work. Tyres that don't last. Still not splitting strategies. And still not dominating races.