Ferrari’s 2026 F1 engine has a clear design flaw that’s costing them 10 horsepower to Mercedes

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Ferrari took a major gamble with the design of their 2026 Formula 1 engine, and the early evidence suggests it has backfired.

Ferrari are currently second in the constructors’ standings with 110 points, 70 behind the dominant Mercedes team. Three podiums in four races represents a solid start for a team who only managed eight in 24 last season.

However, on the evidence of the last two races, Ferrari have already slipped behind McLaren in the pecking order. There are suggestions that they have built the best chassis in F1, but their engine is significantly holding them back.

Can Ferrari still win an F1 title in 2026?

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Ferrari have made an engine temperature decision for their 2026 F1 car that ‘seems crazy’

According to Motorsport Italia, Ferrari made a conscious decision to sacrifice some engine power in the hope of raising the car’s overall ceiling.

Most teams want air to enter the engine at around 70-80 degrees to improve efficiency, but Ferrari went in an ‘unprecedented’ and ‘revolutionary’ direction, leading to temperatures in excess of 100 degrees.

While this ‘seems crazy’ on paper, it has facilitated some ‘extreme’ design choices, most visibly on the sidepods, that should be aerodynamically advantageous.

• READ MORE: FIA ruling on Ferrari engine could cause ‘a big fight’ in the F1 paddock

The consensus in the pit lane was that F1 would become an engine formula this year, but Ferrari felt that a more rounded package would set them apart.

Unfortunately, their aerodynamic gains are clearly insufficient compared to the 10-12 horsepower they’ve lost to Mercedes.

Ferrari’s F1 engine upgrade plan has been delayed

Motorsport’s report adds that Ferrari are hoping to halve the engine gap to Mercedes through the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.

The new catch-up mechanism offers assistance to manufacturers depending on their deficit to the benchmark power unit.

The FIA initially planned to measure the gaps after the Miami Grand Prix, which was due to be round six out of 24. But with the Bahrain and Saudi GPs removed from the April schedule, Miami became round four.

The teams have now agreed that the measurements will be postponed until the aftermath of the Canadian GP later this month. Ferrari are working on an engine upgrade for the summer, so this delay could impact their plans.

Ferrari brought 11 upgrades to the Miami GP but only gained 0.08 seconds, a worrying outcome. Unless the team unlock more performance from the SF-26 in the coming races, they could lose their precious chassis advantage.