Ferrari could have a significant engine upgrade waiting in reserve, with a reported gain of up to 22 horsepower potentially helping the Scuderia close the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull.
According to a report by the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, Ferrari has been working on a new power unit at its Maranello factory in recent weeks and months. The development is understood to offer a substantial increase in performance compared with the engine currently being used by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
However, there is a potentially important twist. Ferrari is reportedly reluctant to introduce the upgraded engine during the current campaign, preferring to keep its development under wraps rather than reveal its potential to rival teams.
If the reported figures prove accurate, the development could represent one of Ferrari’s most significant opportunities to address a weakness that has affected its competitiveness throughout the season.
Ferrari engine reportedly gains up to 22 horsepower
The central claim concerns an estimated power increase of between 21 and 22 horsepower.
That would represent a considerable improvement over Ferrari’s previous engine developments. The Scuderia has already introduced two upgrades to its current power unit during the season, although those changes are understood to have delivered gains of approximately five horsepower in total.
A further increase of more than 20 horsepower would therefore be a much more substantial step.
The reported strategy of keeping the new engine out of public view would also make sense from a competitive perspective. Introducing it during a race weekend would provide rivals with an opportunity to study its performance and potentially gather information about Ferrari’s development direction.
For now, however, the reported improvement remains unconfirmed by Ferrari.
Mercedes and Red Bull still hold an engine advantage
Despite the encouraging claims, Ferrari may not immediately become the benchmark in power unit performance.
The Motorsport.com report suggests Mercedes and Red Bull currently enjoy an advantage of up to 25 horsepower over Ferrari’s existing engine.
That estimated difference has been particularly relevant at circuits where straight-line speed and acceleration are important.
Ferrari’s SF-26 has demonstrated competitive qualities at several venues this season, particularly on more technical circuits where cornering performance and mechanical grip are crucial.
However, the car has appeared less convincing on tracks featuring long straights, where a power deficit can become more difficult to disguise.
A 21–22hp improvement would potentially reduce that disadvantage considerably, although it would not necessarily eliminate it altogether.
The distinction matters because Ferrari needs more than an isolated improvement to challenge consistently at the front. It must also ensure that any additional power can be delivered reliably and integrated effectively with the rest of the car.
Ferrari could wait until 2027 to reveal its new engine
Perhaps the most intriguing element of the story concerns when Ferrari intends to introduce the reported upgrade.
According to the assessment cited by Motorsport.com, there is no certainty that the new power unit will appear in a race this season.
Instead, Ferrari could wait until pre-season testing ahead of the 2027 campaign before revealing the development publicly.
That would allow the team to carry its work into the next season while limiting the opportunity for competitors to examine the engine during the current championship.
It would also underline the importance Ferrari is placing on its preparations for 2027, when the next major technical era begins.
For Hamilton and Leclerc, the prospect of a substantially improved power unit will inevitably be encouraging. Both drivers need a package capable of delivering consistent performance across different circuit characteristics rather than relying on particular track layouts to mask weaknesses.
Nevertheless, until Ferrari confirms the development and its performance figures, the reported 22hp gain should be treated as an intriguing technical rumour rather than an established breakthrough.
If the figures are accurate, Maranello may have found a significant piece of the performance it has been missing. The bigger question is whether Ferrari is prepared to wait until 2027 before allowing the rest of Formula 1 to see it.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. 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.
Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
At TJ13, Treze covers driver performance, career developments, and key storylines across the Formula 1 grid, while also analysing the technical factors that influence competitiveness. This includes aerodynamic development trends, simulation-driven design approaches, and the engineering decisions that shape race weekend outcomes.
His reporting bridges the gap between human performance and machine development, helping readers understand how driver execution and technical innovation interact in modern Formula 1. Coverage often connects on-track events with the underlying engineering philosophies that define each team’s approach.
With a global perspective shaped by both journalism and technical study, Thiago also focuses on Formula 1’s international reach and the different ways the sport is experienced across regions.
Treze has a particular interest in how Computational Fluid Dynamics and aerodynamic modelling contribute to car performance, offering accessible explanations of complex technical concepts within Formula 1.
