Charles Leclerc has all but confirmed what most in the F1 paddock already suspected: Ferrari may have designed a competent chassis for the 2026 regulations, but its power unit is fundamentally lagging behind its main rivals.
Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, the Monegasque driver openly addressed the Scuderia’s recurring straight-line struggles. The harsh reality is that the SF-26 is losing the horsepower war to both Mercedes and, in mind-boggling fashion to the new kids on the block in the Red Bull and Ford partnership.
With F1’s radical new rules putting unprecedented weight on hybrid powertrain efficiency, Maranello’s engine deficit has become impossible to ignore. In Canada, they looked to be the second-fastest team in practice, but McLaren were testing a new front wing which failed to deliver.
Sinking on the Straights
Come qualifying, Ferrari were firmly third quickest, as McLaren reverted to their Miami-spec aerodynamics. In the races so far this year, Ferrari have made excellent starts, holding the lead for lap after lap. But once the yo-yo racing settles down and the cars run efficiently, the Mercedes powertrains stretch their legs and the Scuderia cannot respond.
Whilst the in-season upgrades continue back at base, Ferrari are now looking towards the FIA ‘catch-up’ mechanism designed to ensure one power unit manufacturer doesn’t dominate. Mercedes have won each of the four Grands Prix held in 2026 along with both Sprint events, and they hold pole for the Canadian Sprint on Saturday night. That’s dominance.
The FIA’s ADUO System Explained
The FIA’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system allows manufacturers who fall behind the standard-bearer in the field to upgrade their power units mid-season. Officials from F1’s governing body have been taking measurements from each of the powertrains during the first five weekends of the year and, after Canada, will report on the state of affairs.
Well-prepared by the Maranello PR machine, Charles Leclerc came out punching in Montreal, leaving no one in doubt about Ferrari’s belief that they should be given some engine upgrade opportunities.
“I think it’s going to be very difficult [to catch Mercedes],” Leclerc admitted. “I think they have a very big advantage—and ADUO, I mean I obviously don’t know yet if we are in. I’ll be surprised if not, because I can see sometimes on the straight that we are lacking a little bit compared to the Mercedes or even the Ford power unit.
“I think it will definitely be a help to try and get closer. Whether it will be enough to close the gap, I don’t know. It also depends on what level [of development allocation] we get if we get it at all, but surely if we get it, it will be a help to get closer.”
Toto Wolff Builds His Defence
When asked about Charles Leclerc’s comments that Ferrari is visibly lacking punch compared to Mercedes, Toto Wolff downplayed the deficit as an “optimisation issue” rather than a fundamental hardware gap. By attributing Ferrari’s struggles to setup and deployment management rather than raw horsepower, Wolff is subtly building the political narrative that rival power units don’t actually trigger the extreme deficit thresholds required to unlock ADUO assistance.
His previous comments in Miami emphasised ensuring the FIA draws a strict line between allowing development and actively handicapping the leader. He has warned that ADUO must not degrade into a sports-car-style Balance of Performance (BoP) system.
His position is clear: if Mercedes did a better job designing their 2026 split-turbo and hybrid integration, they should not be artificially penalised just to “improve the show.” In typical candid fashion, Wolff has argued that giving struggling manufacturers extra dyno time or development tokens sets a dangerous precedent. His camp believes that if a team miscalculated its energy deployment or internal combustion packaging, the onus should be entirely on them to fix it within the standard cost cap constraints—not via a regulatory safety net.
Pure Horsepower vs. Optimization
Yet this is merely an argument for not having the FIA’s ADUO system at all, and that clock won’t be turned back. Leclerc admits that some of the varying levels of performance are due to the teams’ ability to get the most out of their package.
“I think a lot about these cars is optimising,” Leclerc explained. “If I step back and look at the performance of each team, I don’t fully believe that the shifts we’ve seen are entirely down to the upgrades brought to the track.
“For example, Red Bull was very strong during winter testing, and then over the first three races, they suffered. As soon as you are not exactly optimised, you lose a lot of performance. I feel like in Miami they made a massive step on that optimisation, on top of the upgrades they brought. It is very difficult to get an accurate picture of exactly how much the upgrades themselves are doing.”
This may well be true given that the next-best team to Mercedes has somewhat yo-yo’d around. McLaren were nowhere in the first two rounds of the season, but now appear to be firmly second to Mercedes. Yet one thing is sure: Mercedes have taken all four Grand Prix pole positions and all Grand Prix victories this season, which suggests it is more than mere optimisation the others are lacking.
A High-Stakes Technical War
Away from the power units, the F1 development war is accelerating at lightning speed, and the lap-time gains extracted from new components are currently far larger than anything seen over the last generation of cars. With the engine hierarchy about to be scrutinised by the FIA, the looming political and technical fallout from the ADUO rulings could well decide the trajectory of Ferrari’s entire championship campaign.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
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