Has Ferrari’s start to the 2026 Formula 1 season really been disappointing, or is there still reason for optimism at Maranello?
Ferrari: glass half full or half empty?
After the opening four rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Ferrari has collected 110 points and sits second in the Constructors’ Championship, albeit 70 points behind championship leaders Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc has delivered two third-place finishes, while Lewis Hamilton has added another podium, but the Ferrari SF-26 has yet to start from the front row in a Grand Prix. In the Sprint races, Charles Leclerc secured a second-place finish and a third, while Lewis Hamilton also claimed a third-place result.
However, there are clear concerns. The “package and a half” of upgrades introduced for the Miami Grand Prix failed to provide the performance leap Ferrari had hoped for compared to its rivals. Both drivers have repeatedly pointed to the power deficit of the current Ferrari power unit, while Lewis Hamilton has openly admitted that simulator-derived setup directions did not translate effectively to real track conditions.
But is what we have seen so far enough to label Ferrari’s 2026 campaign start as disappointing? And if so, which aspect has fallen short of expectations? FormulaPassion put those questions to respected motorsport journalist Pino Allievi and Francesco Cigarini, who spent more than 20 years working at Maranello.
Pino Allievi: “I expected more from the upgrades, but ADUO…”
“Nothing about Ferrari has disappointed me so far. If anything, I’ve been surprised by the many ideas I’ve seen on the SF-26, several of which have already been copied by rival teams. It’s a very good car in terms of on-track behaviour.
I did expect more from the first major development step introduced in Miami, though. Instead, it was clear in Miami that upgrades brought by other teams, including Alpine, delivered greater performance gains.
The choice regarding the power unit concept was made collectively by Ferrari’s entire technical staff, so this is not the moment to put engineer Enrico Gualtieri’s group on trial. Was it a miscalculation? We’ll understand more over the next three races, so I prefer not to make a judgement yet.
As for ADUO, I am completely against it. Formula 1 has always been built on competitive hierarchies, so why reward those who have done a worse job just to artificially level the playing field? Ferrari, more than anyone, should have opposed a rule that goes against the very values of the sport.”
Francesco Cigarini: “It will become a disappointment if development is not aggressive and effective”
“As of today, there is no specific element that has disappointed me.
If you compare Ferrari’s progress to last year, the car is more competitive. It has characteristics that make it one of the strongest cars in certain scenarios. Ferrari has brought technical ideas and upgrades to the track that rival teams have noticed and then adapted for their own cars. That suggests the flow of innovation has been unlocked again, and in some areas Ferrari is setting the benchmark.
What would disappoint me is if Ferrari failed to continue developing the car aggressively and effectively, because at that point it would lose competitiveness and fall away from the front of the championship battle.”
Now we put the same question to Ferrari fans: is it too early to be disappointed with Ferrari’s start to the 2026 Formula 1 season?
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