Ferrari get a big boost in the F1 championship, which will worry Mercedes a lot.
Ferrari, one of the biggest names in Formula 1, has reportedly triggered their right to emergency upgrades from the FIA as they try to catch up with Mercedes in the 2026 season. After six races, Ferrari is in second place in the constructors’ championship, but Mercedes is already 72 points ahead.
Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are leading the drivers’ standings, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in third and fourth. Antonelli, a young Italian driver, has a big lead thanks to four wins in a row, but Ferrari’s upcoming upgrades could change things.
Even though Hamilton got Ferrari’s first second-place finish of the season in Canada last month, Ferrari’s straight-line speed has not been great, which could be both a challenge and an opportunity. Motorsport IT shared on Yahoo! Sports that Ferrari’s engine is over 4% slower than Mercedes’, who clearly have the best power unit right now.
This gap means it’s time for Ferrari to use their “emergency ripcord,” according to Yahoo! reporter Rahaan Mazumder. He explains, “With the new 2026 rules, the FIA created the ADUO system to help teams that fall behind and stop any one team from dominating.” Ferrari falling behind by over 4% lets them get two special mid-season engine upgrades, which is a huge advantage because engine development is usually locked down during the season.
Ferrari hopes to have the first upgrade ready for the Austrian Grand Prix at the end of June. The Monaco GP is this weekend, followed by Barcelona, so getting the upgrade done before Austria will be tough. Mazumder calls it a “monumental engineering gamble” for Ferrari.
Last year, Hamilton finished sixth in his first full season with Ferrari, while Leclerc was fifth and scored 86 points more. In 2026 so far, Leclerc and Hamilton started strong but have gradually slipped behind the Mercedes drivers in recent races. Despite a better result in Canada, Ferrari hasn’t met the high expectations of their fans.
Thanks to FIA’s new rules, Ferrari now has a chance to catch up and hopefully turn their season around.