Ferrari on defense: Mercedes and McLaren with lots of horsepower and new features

Finally we are back racing, three weeks after the last time, a considerable interval of time and during which the teams have worked on every front. Mercedes, the only one without news in Miami, will have a substantial package of developments, but it will not be the only one. Rather than looking ahead, Ferrari may have to worry about defending its role as third force, in the face of a shortage of horsepower that will be felt on the straights in Canada. On the other hand, in Montreal the brakes will also count a lot, while energy management will not be so critical. A new wave of updates In Canada it’s Mercedes’ turn to make its move with updates. After being the only top car without any innovations in Miami, the W17 is now preparing to receive important developments. In Florida the Brackley team had to sweat out the victory, but with the package arriving the championship leaders hope to re-establish their early season advantage. Mercedes, however, isn’t the only one with updates in store. McLaren, for example, has a second wave of developments in the pipeline, as Andrea Stella had already announced in April: “Between Miami and Canada we will see an entirely new MCL40.” All eyes are also on Ferrari, whose plan after the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia was to bring forward part of the new features scheduled for Montreal to Miami, while the rest could debut this weekend. When assessing the impact of the changes, it should however be kept in mind that the circuit named after Gilles Villeneuve fits well with the DNA of the Silver Arrows. Russell’s victory and Antonelli’s first podium of 2025 are there to remember him and it matters little that the W17 was born in a completely different technical context, because certain underlying characteristics transcend the regulations. Mercedes continue to perform at their best when it is easier to keep tire temperatures at bay and in Canada there are several factors that help on this front. Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images A Mercedes track A novelty for the 2026 edition is the date of the event, brought forward by about a month, anticipating a generally cooler climate, even more so after a particularly long winter this year in Canada. Montreal, then, is a Stop&Go track, with many straights interspersed with slow corners. There are no high-speed creases to overload the tires, while time spent on the straight helps cool them. If you then add smooth asphalt and often low-load aerodynamic configurations, the energy transmitted to the tires is decidedly low. It is no coincidence that Pirelli confirms the C3, C4 and C5 compounds, the same as Miami, as well as the softest in the range. There is great curiosity then to witness the confrontation between Antonelli and Russell. The Italian is in a state of grace and in Canada he returns to the same track where a year ago he celebrated his first podium in Formula 1. Everyone is expecting a reaction from Russell, which so far there hasn’t been. In Miami, the Briton traced his difficulties to his chronic lack of harmony with the American track, while his record in Montreal is much better. However, be careful of the updates, which could influence the comparison between the two Mercedes drivers, as there is always the risk that the changes bring the car closer to the preferences of one rather than the other. Ferrari at the door However, Mercedes isn’t sleeping soundly. The most accredited rival is McLaren, also driven by that Brixworth power unit which is making such a difference. Furthermore, in Miami, the MCL40 proved to be decidedly agile at slow speeds, a quality that will come in very handy among the chicanes and hairpin bends of Montreal, where, more than elsewhere, aggressiveness on the curbs will count. The biggest threat for the world champions could instead be graining, which however Pirelli is confident will disappear after Friday. The prospects for Ferrari are less rosy. The Maranello team is aware that the lack of horsepower from the engine will cost precious time on the straights in Canada, although not necessarily more than in Florida. Furthermore, the SF-26 will not be able to hold on to the aerodynamic load to recover in fast corners, being practically absent, forcing it to find a way to make a difference in medium-slow corners. Speaking of preparation, it will be interesting to see if Hamilton has followed through on his intention not to use the simulator ahead of Canada, after being led astray in previous events. For him, as for Leclerc, it will also be important to find a way to defend himself in the race without asking too much from the tyres, as happened in Florida. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images Red Bull could also be in the game, with Verstappen fresh from the 24 hours of the Nürburgring. The RB22 has nothing to fear on the straight, while slow turns are not exactly its strong point. In any case, for Red Bull as for everyone else, in Canada there will be the opportunity to extract something more from the Miami updates, having had enough time to reprocess the data. The brakes help management. For the first time, Montreal is also hosting the sprint format, the third of the season, once again limiting the time available to test the innovations. Even more than in China and Florida, in Canada it will be important to lap as much as possible to find the rhythm and confidence in the car, which are essential for skimming the walls without causing damage. It will also be important to work on the delivery of electric power and traction when exiting hairpin bends so as not to strain the tires, but also to avoid skating and wasting energy unnecessarily, the management of which, in any case, does not appear critical. Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Montreal is the shortest track among those visited so far, about 900 meters less than Australia and 1 kilometer shorter than Miami, which makes it easier to manage the battery in qualifying. Furthermore, Brembo’s simulations say that the brake use time is equal to 19% of the overall time, a value above average and which reduces the need to recover energy outside of braking. Precisely in braking there will be a way to make a difference in Montreal, perhaps taking a few more risks to compensate for the delay accumulated elsewhere.

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News , 2026-05-20 02:00:00