Ferrari and Mercedes focus on upgrades and reliability for 2026 Formula 1 championship

Scuderia Ferrari is preparing additional development phases for its SF‑26 car to maintain a competitive position in the 2026 Formula 1 championship. After two race wins and accumulating 307 points in the first ten events, the team, led by technical director Loïc Serra, emphasizes a systematic, incremental upgrade strategy that preserves the car’s core architecture while allowing progressive performance gains. The upgrades introduced in Miami and Barcelona have delivered measurable results, and the programme also aims to lay groundwork for the 2027 project.

Mercedes‑AMG Petronas acknowledges that its main limitation this season is reliability rather than outright speed. When the car completes a weekend without technical issues, it can challenge Ferrari and McLaren for podiums. However, a series of component failures and design‑related problems—such as power‑unit packaging, battery layout, and thermal management—have caused retirements and lost points, hampering the team’s championship bid.