Ferrari is introducing its first in-season engine upgrade at the Austrian Grand Prix, the eighth race of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Scuderia aims to increase power output by making changes to the V6 engine's combustion chamber; a second upgrade opportunity after the summer break is planned with a larger turbo design.
Barcelona winner Hamilton is 41 points behind in the championship race.
In the previous race, Lewis Hamilton secured his 106th Grand Prix victory in Barcelona with the SF-26. Following this result, Hamilton is now only 41 points behind Mercedes driver and championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who had won the previous race before retiring from Montmelo due to a power unit problem. In the overall standings, Hamilton is third, while Charles Leclerc is fourth, one place behind George Russell, with a difference of 40 points.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, evaluating Hamilton's recent stint in Barcelona and his convincing victory, described the SF-26 as the "best chassis" currently in F1. Lando Norris went even further, stating: "If Ferrari had a better engine right now, they would dominate. Fortunately, that's not the case."’
Russell: "The reality test has begun."
Mercedes driver George Russell described the Barcelona race as a warning for the team at a press conference in Spielberg. Russell said, “Ferrari has had a fantastic chassis throughout the season. Their power units were quite far behind us; but in Barcelona they caught up significantly in terms of straight-line speed,” adding, “We brought an upgrade this season, some are even coming; but Ferrari and McLaren are adding parts every few races. With the budget cap, this is very challenging.”
Championship leader Antonelli also stated that he was aware of Ferrari's upgrade pace. Antonelli said, “Ferrari is bringing a new and slightly more powerful engine, Red Bull is offering a great aero package; McLaren has been at the front since Miami. All four teams will be very close this weekend.”.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri summarized his assessment as follows: “Ferrari brought significant upgrades in Barcelona, but Mercedes is still the benchmark; perhaps not as prominent as in those conditions, but still ahead.” Norris shared this view, saying: “About half of their biggest losses on the straight-line are due to power, and a significant portion to drag. If they take a big step forward with the engine, they can easily become favorites; they have been championship contenders throughout the season.”
Leclerc and Hamilton are keeping expectations low.
Hamilton described the engine upgrade as “one step, not the whole step,” emphasizing their goal of maintaining their race-by-race progress. Leclerc acknowledged that the long straights at the Austrian track would make Mercedes“ power advantage more pronounced, and that this would come at a cost. ”I believe Mercedes will be the fastest car in the overall competition; however, we were good at tire management in Barcelona and we hope to maintain that strength. Still, the target is Mercedes,” said Leclerc.
The question of whether Ferrari can maintain its intense upgrade pace has also come to the fore. Russell stated that some sources suggest Scuderia is focusing its development resources on the first half of the season, while Mercedes is following a more cautious program; however, he added that the final answer will be given on the track.