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📝 Article

• The SF-26 chassis is currently one of the grid's benchmarks in high-load corners and stability under heavy braking, but it suffers from an endothermic power deficit, weak low-speed corner exits when transferring torque to the ground, and rear tyre thermal overheating during longer stints.
• The third major aerodynamic package arriving at the Dutch GP aims to widen the car's operating window and boost overall aerodynamic efficiency. To make the SF-26 the ultimate benchmark car again, this package needs to unlock a consistent race pace gain of around 0.2 seconds per lap.
• Monza will feature a low-drag wing setup alongside the headline ADUO 2 Power Unit update. This engine step brings an extra 15 horsepower which could be worth over 0.2 seconds per lap at power tracks like Monza and Baku, provided the team maintains electrical deployment along the full length of the straights.
• The package planned for COTA focuses on mechanical suspension and chassis tweaks to provide consistent rear support on throttle application, directly addressing the core traction and tyre overheating limits.
• High-load circuits like Zandvoort, Qatar, and Austin will naturally suit the SF-26 front-end strength, power tracks like Monza, Sepang, Las Vegas, and Baku will benefit heavily from ADUO 2, while traction-heavy layouts like Singapore and Abu Dhabi will remain the toughest tests for rear thermal management.

Welcome to the Weekly Discussion Thread!

You can discuss or ask questions about anything here! Just remember to follow the subreddit rules and keep the conversation respectful.

📝 Article

• Because the SF-26 started with a fundamentally solid baseline, Maranello did not have to waste crucial budget and resources fixing structural flaws. This financial advantage allows Ferrari to aggressively push 2026 upgrades while already laying out clear plans for the completely new Power Unit architecture arriving in 2027.
• The next major update arrives at the Dutch GP with a significant floor evolution. Building upon the foundation introduced in Barcelona, the aerodynamics team has focused on increasing overall downforce and significantly widening the car's operating window.
• For the Italian GP, the SF-26 will feature a specific low drag aero configuration, but the most anticipated change is the engine. Ferrari plans to introduce the ADUO 2 Power Unit upgrade, which features a brand new turbocharger. This is designed to better manage airflow and pressure at high RPMs, reducing energy losses and maintaining peak power longer for superior straight-line acceleration.
• While ADUO 2 will be the engine baseline for the rest of the year, it is an optimization rather than a total redesign. The true conceptual revolution is reserved for 2027.
• Development will not stop after Monza. Because Ferrari has not required costly conceptual overhauls this year, a fourth major upgrade package is already in the works and is slated to arrive later in the autumn.

Welcome to the Weekly Discussion Thread!

You can discuss or ask questions about anything here! Just remember to follow the subreddit rules and keep the conversation respectful.

If you are looking for some discussion points, I'm going to leave a few questions below. Feel free to discuss any of them, or other things you have in mind!

1. How would you rate our strategy team so far this year? Have we seen genuine progress compared to previous seasons? Was Hungary a one-off or a reappearing pattern?
2. Do you agree that Ferrari currently has the absolute best and most balanced driver pairing on the grid?
3. How satisfied are you with the job Fred is doing? What are your thoughts on bringing Loïc Serra on board, the progress made since, and the overall recruitment drive in Maranello?
4. How much do you think the new ADUO 2 PU will impact the rest of our season? Will this engine upgrade and the upcoming Zandvoort package be decisive for our success this year?
5. Setting the new upgrades aside for a moment, how well do you think the core characteristics of the SF-26 will actually suit the Dutch GP track layout?
6. Realistically, looking at our current form, the incoming upgrades, and the progress being made by McLaren and Red Bull, where do you predict Ferrari and our drivers will finish in the standings by the end of the year?

🔗 Source | Transcript by Ferrari News ITA

Reading time: ~2.5 minutes

Execution and Race Pace

• Ferrari leaves Budapest with many question marks. We only saw a fraction of the car's true potential because they were stuck in traffic during the race, especially behind Verstappen.
• From an execution standpoint, the Scuderia messed up almost everything possible. On Saturday, they went out first for the final run and received an impeding penalty. On Sunday, they misjudged the grip at the start, causing Leclerc to lose positions.
• Regarding tyre strategy, they only realized at the very end of the race that the soft was their best tyre. They chose to use it at the start and only put it back on during the safety car, which cost them track position.
• Overall, it was a disastrous weekend for execution. While they did not have Norris's pace, a P2 or P3 finish was definitely within reach.

Car Characteristics and Setup Struggles

• The car has a very strong front end, which is crucial for fast corners. However, engine power also matters in those sections. Because of this, Ferrari never seems to have the complete package for a win. On high speed tracks that demand a strong front end, they suffer from a Power Unit deficit. On slower tracks where the engine matters less, they struggle with the rear.
• They actually found a good compromise in Budapest, but poor execution ruined it.
• Between Friday and Saturday, the team had to tweak the setup to protect against a reliability issue that appeared on Leclerc's car during Free Practice. This setup change likely cost them a lot of pure performance.
• The team focused on making Sector 3 their main strength because they expected high tyre degradation in the race. However, the high degradation never happened, turning the race into a battle of pure performance. The low degradation caught Ferrari by surprise, especially since they had compromised their raw pace with the setup changes.

Behind the Scenes: Pressure and Reliability

• The mechanical issue Leclerc faced on Friday was the exact same one they experienced during the Bahrain tests, which caused a lot of confusion within the team.
• A source very close to Ferrari revealed that before the weekend, the team was absolutely convinced they were going to win in Hungary. The sudden mechanical issue added a lot of pressure. It was a huge missed opportunity to close the gap in the Constructors Championship. It seems the team still needs to work on managing these high pressure moments better.

SF-26 Chassis and Driver Performances

• On average, the SF26 has the best chassis on the grid, which was even confirmed by Andrea Stella. However, a great chassis cannot always cover up a PU deficit. This is why the ADUO 2 upgrade is so highly anticipated, which will probably arrive at Monza.
• Leclerc has made massive steps forward. Until a few races ago, Charles had not fully adapted to the new cars, but he has improved significantly. In contrast, Russell and Piastri are still struggling to adapt.
• Among the top teams, Ferrari currently has the most evenly matched driver pairing in terms of pure performance. Lewis continues to be incredibly fast, despite a few mistakes in recent races.

The Upgrade War

• McLaren is emerging as a massive threat for the championship. This is a bigger disadvantage for Ferrari since they are currently trailing Mercedes in the standings.
• The development battle will be crucial. Ferrari will bring more upgrades soon. McLaren will stick with their Budapest package for the next two races. Mercedes is not expected to bring a major package until around Singapore, which is much later in the season.

Welcome to the Weekly Discussion Thread!

You can discuss or ask questions about anything here! Just remember to follow the subreddit rules and keep the conversation respectful.

As we head into the summer break, there are still many things to discuss about the Scuderia. The Hungarian GP didn't go our way, but the team has proved that the updated SF-26 is a very competitive package on different types of circuits, and we are still on the right track.

Looking ahead to Zandvoort, we can expect the third major package of the season to be introduced. A key focus for the team will be solving the rear tyre degradation problem that also limited our pace in Budapest. After that, we should expect the ADUO 2 power unit upgrade at Monza or Madrid. At this stage, everything is still left to play for. Both championships remain a real possibility for the team and our drivers.

Forza Ferrari!

🔗 Source

On driving the new generation of F1 cars:

• "You can no longer push to the limit like in recent years. Every time you exceed the limit, you waste energy."
• "I think pushing to the absolute limit is probably less rewarding than it used to be. Because every time you go over the limit, every time you get wheelspin, you waste energy because you are not improving but draining the battery."
• "All these elements make the driving a bit less pure. It's a bit more a game of strategy and keeping calm to reach the absolute limit, which isn't my favorite exercise. But again, it is what it is and I have to optimize what I have."

On the importance of being adaptable:

• "I believe the defining characteristic of a fast driver is the ability to adapt constantly and quickly. Being fast only with a specific car isn't enough, and honestly, I don't think you see that very often. A fast driver is fast in any car."
• "There are too many different variables. It's not like in the past when you could look at the data and say: 'here is where I'm losing, here is what I need to change in my driving style'. If you change your driving style but the programming goes in the opposite direction, you end up much worse off than before."

On the frustrating energy deployment at Spa:

• "In Q3 at Spa, I had a great Turn 1, and by being a tenth and a half faster in Turn 1, I lost two and a half tenths on the straight. So in the end, I'm a tenth slower for having done a better job in the corner."
• "This isn't just about me personally. It affects everyone, and because of that, we don't have many excuses. We just have to deal with what we are given and maximize what we have."

On the controversial contact with Piastri at Spa:

• "In a way, I agree with Oscar. My goal in the car has always been to push things to the limit. I think with Oscar it went a bit too far, so it's probably not how I always want to race."
• "It's also risky for me at the end of the day. You always try to leave the smallest space possible. Maybe that one was a bit too small."