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Martin Brundle believes Ferrari have ‘aced’ the new Formula 1 regulations to an extent, but he says they are missing out on title by tripping themselves up.
The Prancing Horse are still without a drivers’ title since 2007 and a constructors’ title since 2008. Following a winless 2025 campaign, Ferrari are looking to have a change of fortunes under the 2026 F1 regulations.
The SF-26 is certainly a competitive package, with their smaller turbo giving them incredible launches off the line, and many think they have the best car in the corners. But the power unit is proving an issue, and that is holding them back in 2026.
Which F1 team were the biggest disappointment at the upgrade-heavy Miami Grand Prix? 📊
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In Miami, Ferrari were off the podium for the first time this year. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth with Charles Leclerc in P8 after being hit with a 20-second time penalty for exceeding track limits.
The team had brought numerous upgrades to the SF-26, but they were unable to extract maximum performance. It is exactly the bad ‘habit’ that Brundle has pointed out that continues to hurt them.
Martin Brundle says Ferrari have ‘aced’ 2026 regulations but they can ‘step on their own tails’
Leclerc was leading in the early stages of the Miami GP, but, seemingly without telling him, Ferrari pitted him early and ended up getting undercut. Damon Hill was perplexed by Leclerc’s radio messages as he eventually fell down the order after spinning and damaging his car on the final lap.
Despite sustained damage to his car in an incident with Franco Colapinto, Brundle thought Hamilton was ‘curiously uncompetitive’ in Miami. Ferrari did not take full advantage of their upgrades, and it is how they have been losing championships.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Brundle says Ferrari are in a better position, but their own mistakes, such as strategy blunders and driver errors, are what are costing them in title battles.
“I think Ferrari’s looking much better than it has done in recent years, and they’ve sort of aced these regulations to an extent,” he said.
“But they’ve got some strong competition, but two great drivers. Yeah, I think they’ll be fine.
“They have a habit of stepping on their own tails from time to time, so as long as they can get away from that and if they maximise their full potential, then they’ve got two drivers who can win races. And if you can win races, you can win championships.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
Ferrari’s Miami GP upgrades have exposed some worrying problems
Ferrari are certainly putting the effort in at the factory, evidenced by 11 upgrades coming to the SF-26 in Miami. But even with those updates, problems were apparent.
Ferrari have an ‘inadequate’ issue as the battery cannot compensate for the ICE’s lack of acceleration. Upgrades to the engine are desperately needed, as they were reportedly up to 30 horsepower behind Mercedes.
Can Ferrari still win an F1 title in 2026?
David Croft thinks Ferrari are ‘in trouble’ as their upgrades ultimately did little to improve their position to Mercedes in Miami.
Driver errors, strategic mishaps, and the upgrades not giving them the power they needed all contributed to their disappointment last weekend. Ferrari must bounce back strong in Canada, a track that has not been a happy hunting ground for them.
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