Ferrari vs Mercedes power units: where the SF-26’s ADUO2 is still losing performance

Engineer Riccardo Romanelli reports that Mercedes still holds the benchmark power unit in Formula 1 for 2026. While Ferrari has made progress with its ADUO2 power unit upgrade, the Scuderia continues to lose performance to Mercedes-powered cars. According to Romanelli, the decisive difference is not maximum combustion-engine horsepower, but rather how effectively electrical energy is managed and deployed throughout a lap.

This performance gap has particularly affected Ferrari during qualifying sessions, where extracting every fraction of a second is crucial. While Mercedes and McLaren have consistently fought for leading positions, Ferrari has generally appeared more competitive over a race distance than in qualifying, as seen at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.