Ferrari doesn’t go and even amazes Antonelli and Russell: “They were really slow. I was going 30 km/h faster”

Nothing but an encore. Those among the Ferrari fans who dreamed of an encore from Barcelona were disappointed. Not only did Ferrari not win the Austrian GP, ​​but apart from the very first laps of the race, neither Lewis Hamilton nor Charles Leclerc ever seemed capable of challenging Mercedes and Max Verstappen for a place on the podium. The two SF-26s closed Sunday at the Red Bull Ring in fifth (Hamilton) and eighth (Leclerc) position, 26 and 45 seconds respectively away from first position. Above all, Ferrari showed a very significant power deficit compared to the Mercedes power units, which was evident in all the duels that pitted the red cars against Mercedes or McLaren cars. Ruthless Antonelli and Russell The lack of speed of the Maranello cars even surprised the pair of Mercedes drivers, Russell and Antonelli, who commented on the outcome of the race to each other at the back of the podium. Both highlighted the deficit in Ferrari’s top speed, indulging in comments that for the red’s most ardent supporters could have a bit of the flavor of a mockery, but which in reality give a good snapshot of the main problem of the 2026 single-seater: the power unit. And for the moment there is no ADUO that matters. “They didn’t have great pace,” said Russell, commenting on the Ferraris’ performance while reviewing the highlights of the race from the back of the podium. “They were really slow – added Antonelli – and their deployment was really strange. I risked colliding with Leclerc at Turn 1 due to the speed difference. I was going about 30 km/h faster”. Words that certainly won’t be particularly welcome in the Maranello area.

Automobile Magazine – Formula1 English, News

2026-06-29 01:11:00