Charles Leclerc, Ferrari‘s star driver, acknowledges the SF-24’s strong chassis but points to the Italian power unit as lagging behind Mercedes and Red Bull. The hope now rests on the upcoming ADUO system, a potential equalizer to close the performance gap.
In Formula 1, the 2026 season is shaping up to be a fierce battle for podiums, with Ferrari positioned behind an seemingly untouchable Mercedes. While the Italian car boasts an excellent chassis, Charles Leclerc isn’t holding back his concerns about its power unit’s competitiveness. This slight deficit is what he hopes the forthcoming ADUO system will help overcome.
Ferrari Engine: The Achilles’ Heel?
Charles Leclerc is direct: Ferrari’s engine, while capable, isn’t yet matching the benchmark units on the grid. He estimates the gap to Mercedes, and potentially even Red Bull Ford, sits between 2% and 4%. This is precisely why he’s anticipating the activation of the ADUO system after the Canadian Grand Prix. “I would be surprised if that wasn’t the case,” he admits, highlighting the straights where the lack of performance is sometimes glaringly obvious.
The ADUO system, slated for deployment during the season, represents a beacon of hope for the Scuderia. It’s designed to allow teams needing it most to allocate more development resources to their power units. “It will clearly be an aid to try and get closer,” Leclerc concedes. The question remains whether this assistance will be enough to completely erase the deficit. “It also depends on the level we achieve, if we achieve it at all,” he tempers, aware that optimizing this new device will be crucial.
2026: An Era of Optimization and Development
The introduction of new regulations for 2026 has opened a new dimension in single-seater design. Charles Leclerc stresses the paramount importance of continuous optimization and development. “If I take a step back and look at each team’s performance, I don’t entirely believe that the progress we’ve seen is solely due to the upgrades each team has brought,” he explains.
He points to Red Bull’s journey, which after initial dominance, had to work tirelessly to regain its full potential. “I feel that in Miami, they took a huge step forward in that regard, in addition to the upgrades they introduced,” Leclerc analyzes. This race for optimization makes it difficult to precisely assess the impact of new parts. “One thing is certain: every week spent at the factory working on new parts brings significant gains, much more so than in the past.”
The Complexity of a Constantly Evolving Package
Charles Leclerc acknowledges the complexity of current F1 cars makes the task challenging. “I simply think we are still in a phase of the season where teams are trying to figure out how to maximize the entire system, which is extremely complex,” he states. The human element of driving adds another layer of difficulty to achieving peak performance.
“And I don’t think we’ll ever reach 100% optimization with these types of cars, because
the driver’s input is also a factor. It’s a complex puzzle to solve.”
[Red Bull]
