Fresh concerns have emerged in the Miami Grand Prix paddock, with growing speculation that Ferrari is battling a serious internal issue that could derail their 2026 championship ambitions. While Mercedes continues to dominate the season through Kimi Antonelli, Ferrari’s struggles are becoming impossible to ignore—both on track and behind the scenes.
Antonelli’s victory in Miami marked his third win in four races, further extending his lead in the Drivers’ Championship and reinforcing Mercedes’ growing grip on both titles. With a commanding advantage already established, the Silver Arrows are setting a relentless pace that rivals are failing to match. Ferrari, once expected to challenge consistently, now finds itself trailing significantly, with performance inconsistencies raising serious questions about their competitiveness moving forward.
Despite flashes of promise during the race, particularly from Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s race ultimately unraveled. Leclerc briefly led and looked poised for a podium finish before a late-race spin and contact with the wall compromised his position. The situation worsened after he received a 20-second penalty for repeatedly exceeding track limits, dropping him further down the order. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton salvaged valuable points, but even his experience couldn’t mask the underlying issues affecting the car.
The bigger concern, however, lies beneath the surface. Reports from the paddock suggest Ferrari is dealing with a significant engine performance deficit compared to Mercedes. Data from Miami indicates a noticeable gap in lap times, with Leclerc unable to match Antonelli’s pace by a considerable margin. This aligns with Hamilton’s frustrations during the race, where he highlighted a lack of power and efficiency. While Ferrari has introduced upgrades, including new energy management systems, the improvements appear insufficient against a rapidly evolving Mercedes package.
Looking ahead, Ferrari’s path back to contention appears uncertain. Planned engine upgrades are not expected until later in the season, leaving the team vulnerable in the short term. With the championship calendar moving quickly toward races like the Canadian Grand Prix, the window to recover is shrinking. If Mercedes maintains its current trajectory, the title race could effectively be decided long before Ferrari resolves its internal challenges—turning what was expected to be a fierce battle into a one-sided campaign.