Ferrari accelerates its development to put pressure on Mercedes

Ferrari does not intend to slow down its development pace after the summer break. From the Dutch Grand Prix, the Scuderia will introduce a major new evolution on the SF-26 with the goal of further reducing its gap to Mercedes.

At Zandvoort, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton will have a new floor, directly derived from the one introduced in June during the Spanish Grand Prix. This evolution should allow Ferrari to generate more downforce while improving the versatility of its car.

The Dutch track, winding and demanding in terms of aerodynamics, will thus be a first real test to measure the effectiveness of this new version.

A new floor decided after Austria and Silverstone

The arrival of this evolution at Zandvoort was not initially planned. According to RacingNews365, Ferrari accelerated its program after analyzing the data collected during the Austrian and British Grands Prix.

These two circuits with very different characteristics allowed engineers to better identify the areas where the SF-26 could still improve. At the Red Bull Ring in particular, Ferrari had not managed to reproduce the performance level shown a few weeks earlier in Barcelona, partly due to the chosen settings.

The Scuderia therefore quickly decided to modify its floor. The new parts were even put into production before the start of the mandatory factory shutdown during the summer break.

This responsiveness confirms the particularly aggressive strategy adopted by Ferrari this season. The team has multiplied small evolutions since the start of the championship rather than focusing its efforts on a few major packages.

Ferrari wants to make the SF-26 more versatile

The goal of the new floor is not only to increase aerodynamic downforce. Ferrari also aims to make its car more competitive on a wider variety of circuits.

The SF-26 has notably proven particularly effective when top speed and performance on long straights are important. Conversely, some more winding tracks have exposed its limits more.

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Zandvoort therefore represents a particularly relevant test. Its sequence of corners and relatively short straights will determine if Ferrari has succeeded in broadening the operating window of its car.

This new floor is moreover only the first step of the program planned by Maranello for the second half of the season.

A major engine evolution planned at Monza

Ferrari is also preparing an evolution of its power unit for the Italian Grand Prix. Thanks to its second ADUO opportunity, allowing eligible engine manufacturers to continue developing their power unit, the Scuderia will introduce a new specification at Monza.

The main modification will concern a larger diameter turbine. This should improve the performance of the thermal engine, especially at high speed and on long straights.

The exact power gain remains difficult to determine. This evolution should however not allow Ferrari to immediately erase its entire deficit against the references currently represented by Mercedes HPP and Red Bull Powertrains.

To completely close this gap, Ferrari will likely have to wait until 2027.

Ferrari believes in an offensive against Mercedes

Confidence is nevertheless high in Maranello before the resumption of the championship. The data collected during the first half of the season suggest that the aerodynamic progress of the SF-26, combined with the upcoming engine evolution, could significantly strengthen Ferrari’s competitiveness.

The goal will now be to turn these advances into consistent performances on circuits with very different characteristics.

With a new floor from Zandvoort and then an engine evolution expected at Monza, Ferrari therefore seems determined to maintain its particularly sustained development pace and to put more pressure on Mercedes during the second half of the season.

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