It was such a positive start to the summer for Ferrari after that win in Barcelona, but the second half of this 2026 Formula 1 season has unfortunately taken a much more negative trend. As The Race reports, the team has not even sniffed a podium since Spa back in July. While the SF-26 has not suddenly transformed into an uncompetitive machine, the relentless development rate of its rivals—McLaren above all—has shifted the benchmark forward while Ferrari simply hasn't kept pace.
Between Hungary and the Netherlands, McLaren's MCL40 received a series of aerodynamic developments, particularly around the floor, which unlocked a clear step forward. Add in specific solutions for faster circuits like the H-wing, and their configuration possibilities widened massively. But it is not just aero. Competitors note that Woking has made massive strides in understanding and activating the tyres. It is an area that Lando Norris in particular has exploited so well, and McLaren's grasp of this window has only tightened.
Maranello knew before Zandvoort that its own update wouldn't represent a massive performance step. In fact, the package brought to the Netherlands was only about three quarters of what Ferrari originally planned. The technical group led by Loic Serra, with Diego Tondi heading the aerodynamic department, chose not to rush the production of the entire package, preferring to give their people more time to work on areas like the outer edge of the floor while keeping the budget cap in mind.
Now, the postponed interventions are slated to make their debut at the Circuit of the Americas late next month. These should bring a much more substantial evolution of the floor. Ferrari has simply accepted running an incomplete solution through this middle stretch of the season because windtunnel results on certain components were lacking. Austin was chosen for logistical reasons and because its track layout is ideal for evaluating the hoped-for progress.
On the power unit side, things are meeting expectations under power unit technical director Enrico Gualtieri’s department. But penalties loom large. Charles Leclerc's car underwent extensive checks after his accident in Italy, forcing the team to contest Madrid using an older ADUO 1 unit. Rumours suggest Leclerc could unlock a fifth unit as early as Baku next weekend to serve a grid penalty at a track where overtaking is possible. Lewis Hamilton's situation remains slightly different, though the possibility of a fifth unit stays open as he sits further back in the drivers' championship, with Mexico City, Interlagos, or Austin eyed as logical penalty spots.
