Ferrari think they can build an ‘equal’ engine to Mercedes within just three races

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Ferrari reportedly feel they are in a position to build an engine that is on par with Mercedes within the next three races.

After what was a dismal 2025 season, Ferrari have enjoyed a decent start to 2026. 

So far, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have scored at least one podium finish as the Scuderia currently sit second in the standings behind Mercedes.

With F1 in the middle of a five week break, teams are working around the clock in order to improve their cars.

Is this the secret to Ferrari becoming world champions again?

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Ferrari looking to fight on ‘equal terms’ with Mercedes

Ferrari are no different as it has been claimed that they are looking to bring the fight to Mercedes in the upcoming races.

According to Italian news outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari had originally planned to bring power unit-related upgrades in July. 

However, it has been suggested that Ferrari are working to ‘minimise the timeframe’ of their power unit upgrades and to have them from Barcelona onwards.

In addition, the report stated that the team’s ‘aerodynamic and software package’ is ready to be introduced at next month’s Miami Grand Prix.

Does Charles Leclerc have the best racecraft in F1?

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It has also been noted that Ferrari are paying ‘precise attention’ to what their rivals are doing as they look to fight Mercedes on ‘equal terms’ for the European phase of the 2026 campaign.

Furthermore, Ferrari recently brought in Maxime Martinez as Power Unit Performance Engineer. 

The Frenchman previously worked with Mercedes HPP and will be tasked with helping the team manage the power unit’s control system.

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What has Fred Vasseur said about Ferrari’s start to 2026?

Speaking after the Japanese Grand Prix, Vasseur reflected on his team’s season while teasing that there could be a ‘different championship’ from Miami onwards.

He said to Sky Sports Italy: “Am I satisfied with this start to the season? Yes and no. No, because our goal is to finish on the podium, but also to win races. This means we have a performance deficit compared to Mercedes, and that’s clear.

“This means we need to do a better job, but, overall, we’re not far off, and we know that Miami could be a different championship.

“We need to continue to score a lot of points, finish on the podium, and not be far behind Mercedes. We’ll need to be close in the championship.

“The rate of development in the world championship will be very high, which is why we’ll need to keep pushing so hard in the coming months to accumulate points and results.”

If Ferrari do get their upgrades spot on, Hamilton and Leclerc could soon be challenging the likes of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell for race wins, which will be a welcome sight for F1 fans.