PU Ferrari: What could be behind the horsepower deficit

Why the Ferrari SF26 has a horsepower deficit F1 is preparing to host the fifth round of the 2026 World Championship in Canada, after which the FIA ​​will determine which engine engineers will be able to intervene on the power units and to what extent as a result of the first tranche of the ADUO. Ferrari is waiting to find out in which bracket it will be placed and consequently how much extra budget it will have available and how many interventions it will be able to carry out in 2026 and 2027. The Maranello team, in fact, is certainly lacking in terms of power unit performance compared to the Mercedes engine. The latest issue of Autosprint hypothesized that the basis of this horsepower deficit could be a design error or an imperfect compromise in the eternal tug-of-war between aerodynamicists and engine engineers. According to what was reported by corriere.it, the basis for Ferrari’s delay in terms of the engine was an incorrect assessment of the energy performance obtainable in the combustion chamber: “The primitive concept developed in the first years of study would have in fact highlighted important critical issues and failures – we read in the article – difficulties in managing combustion and a higher-than-expected thermal degradation. At the basis there would have been an overly optimistic assessment of the energy performance obtainable in the combustion chamber. After Wolf Zimmermann’s departure, the department directed by Enrico Gualtieri would therefore have had more powers to correct the course, despite having to operate within important limits imposed by the budget cap and with very tight deadlines”. Click here to add Formula Passion as your favorite source on Google Discover: you will find our content more easily!

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News , 2026-05-15 15:20:00