Ferrari to get extensive help for Mercedes fight as Macarena wing set to return

All teams will undoubtedly use the weeks leading up to the Miami Grand Prix — the next round of the season — to analyse data, run simulations and prepare the upgrades they intend to introduce in Florida.

After the opening three races helped define the performance picture of the SF-26 — highlighting both its weaknesses (particularly in comparison to Mercedes) and its strengths — Ferrari is now fully focused at Maranello on addressing the former and consolidating the latter.

These two aspects are closely linked within the team's development strategy, especially when it comes to identifying which upgrades are absolute priorities and which can be deferred until later in the season.

The most significant weakness is clearly the power unit, and Ferrari's response is being split into two distinct phases.

The first, scheduled in time for Miami, will see the introduction of a heavily revised software package focused on energy management. This includes new deployment and harvesting strategies, as well as updated algorithms designed to prevent Leclerc and Hamilton from suffering excessive performance losses due to extreme clipping.

This represents the only power unit-related upgrade Ferrari can realistically deliver in time for Miami, but it is far from trivial.

Both the engine and electronics departments are working at full capacity to validate the new software, including on-track verification ahead of the Florida race.

A filming day at Monza on the 22nd of April will be used for this purpose, with the circuit's demanding energy recovery characteristics providing a stern test for the revised system.

A second, far more substantial intervention will require the use of the ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities), which is expected to be granted to Ferrari, with its power unit expected to be found to be more than 2% down on Mercedes.

This allowance would enable Ferrari to further develop its power unit with a higher spending cap. Under the regulations, it can only be utilised after the sixth race of the season, which was meant to be Miami.

However, following the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, this now points to the new-spec power unit being introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, after a Monaco Grand Prix deadline — although the F1 commission is due to meet next week and finalise the timeline, which could be brought forward.

Chassis and aerodynamic improvements

That said, Ferrari's Miami upgrade package will not be limited to the power unit. The SF-26 is already a strong car in terms of chassis and aerodynamics, but there remains considerable scope for improvement in both areas.

The aerodynamics department, together with the composites division, is working intensively on a new package in which the revised rear wing — featuring the so-called Macarena flap — will play a central role.

Recent development has involved extensive simulator work and, crucially, multiple CFD iterations. According to paddock sources, these include new floor concepts and a revised sidepod profile, particularly around the rear section.

Updates to the front wing are also part of the broader aerodynamic evolution, with their introduction planned for either Miami or, at the latest, Canada three weeks later.

Ferrari's development programme is therefore both extensive and multifaceted — as it needs to be. The Scuderia is not only attempting to close the gap to Mercedes, which will itself arrive in Miami with an upgraded W17, but also aiming to fend off McLaren’s resurgence. At Suzuka, McLaren already finished ahead — albeit with Oscar Piastri alone.

Getting the next steps right is absolutely critical for Fred Vasseur's team. Leaving no stone unturned is essential because the risk is clear: without precise execution, Ferrari could find itself slipping backwards rather than mounting a genuine challenge at the front.