Ferrari Just One Upgrade Away From Becoming F1’s Team to Beat

Teams around F1 are making it known that Ferrari is on the verge of becoming a powerhouse in terms of pace if they fix one part of their car.

>Typically, it is the aerodynamics of a car that make or break it, but in the 2026 regulation cycle, it is mostly about the new power units.

>Mercedes has been the cream of the crop thus far, having unstoppable race pace that has led them to the top of the F1 standings.

>However, Ferrari has been the second-fastest team overall, despite the power unit not being as good as Mercedes’.

Source: Scuderia Ferrari F1 TeamWhat Ferrari lacks in raw engine power, it makes up for with fantastic cornering and agility, traits the car has tended to have outside Italy.

>Their ability to maintain speed has helped deliver podiums for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

>McLaren driver Lando Norris, who is a direct rival to Ferrari as he fights for best of the rest, seems to think that the rest of the grid is lucky that they have not achieved more.

>“We’re lucky that Ferrari doesn’t have a better engine at the minute,” Norris told Sky Sports F1 after the race.

>“If they had a better engine, they’re dominating. They’re the class of the field in terms of cornering performance at the minute.

>“We’re not even close to them. It’s the realistic point of it. We’re a long, long way from where we need to be.

>“If they make improvements on the engine side, then they’ll embarrass everyone. We need to really get our heads down and see what improvements we can do.”

May 24, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton (44) during the Lenovo Grand Prix Du Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn ImagesWhat is Ferrari’s strength? According to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, the team’s strength lies in the chassis, a key component that drives the car’s aerodynamics and cooling.

>“We see, especially in the medium speed corner, that Ferrari is the fastest in the corners, not necessarily the fastest in the straights,” Stella said.

>“[Ferrari] were able to upgrade their car, they gained performance, and now they lean on winning races and today they could capitalize.”

>With the team getting more time to work on their power unit through F1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system, Ferrari could legitimately fight for a title soon and live up to the potential of their aerodynamic package.