The Canadian Grand Prix has usually been a contented searching floor for Ferrari, bringing again reminiscences of Gilles Villeneuve, one among Enzo Ferrari’s most beloved drivers, and a proud file of 12 Formulation 1 victories in Montreal, making the Scuderia the second most profitable staff on the venue behind McLaren.
This yr, nonetheless, Canada represents one thing very completely different: strain. Mounting strain.
Though the Formulation 1 season is simply heading into its fifth spherical, Ferrari already finds itself in pressing want of a robust consequence to keep away from shedding much more floor to Mercedes, which has gained each Grand Prix up to now this yr and is getting ready to introduce its first main improve bundle in Montreal.
Ferrari’s most up-to-date win in Canada got here again in 2018 with Sebastian Vettel, and ending that drought could be massively vital. Much more regarding is the broader statistic: Ferrari has now gone 32 Grands Prix with out victory since Carlos Sainz’s triumph in Mexico in 2024.
Ferrari’s Miami upgrades didn’t ship the breakthrough anticipated
The Florida weekend left way more questions than solutions, regardless of Ferrari introducing an 11-part improve bundle for the SF-26 — the biggest growth bundle introduced by any staff in Miami.
Crew principal Fred Vasseur strongly defended the effectiveness of the updates, insisting the brand new components labored as supposed and that the race tempo matched inner expectations. But the ultimate consequence advised a unique story, with Mercedes and McLaren as soon as once more rising stronger when it mattered most.
Charles Leclerc initially made an excellent begin, briefly taking the lead within the opening levels. However Ferrari’s race rapidly unravelled as tyre degradation on the medium compound proved way more extreme than anticipated, dragging the Monegasque out of competition far sooner than deliberate.
Pressure rising inside Ferrari
There have been additionally clear moments of frustration over staff radio, with Charles Leclerc asking to be extra concerned in strategic pit cease selections — an indication that the collaborative decision-making course of didn’t operate as easily as supposed.
The Ferrari driver additionally contributed to his personal troublesome afternoon, spinning on the ultimate lap whereas battling Oscar Piastri in an try to grab a podium end.
After the race, Charles Leclerc didn’t maintain again in his self-assessment.
“Unacceptable,” he stated, referring to his personal efficiency — a mirrored image of the honesty that has usually outlined his public reactions after disappointing weekends.
However a weekend like Miami can’t be diminished to a single driver error.
On the opposite facet of the storage, the image is hardly extra reassuring. Lewis Hamilton misplaced round half a second of aerodynamic load on the opening lap after contact with Franco Colapinto, however the larger challenge raised by the seven-time world champion goes a lot deeper.
In keeping with Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari’s simulator could also be offering deceptive information, pushing the staff towards setup instructions that fail to match the automobile’s real-world behaviour on observe. These feedback inevitably brought about dialogue contained in the paddock, as a result of questioning the staff’s central growth software opens a far wider debate than easy setup refinement.
For Montreal, Lewis Hamilton has reportedly chosen a radical strategy: no simulator periods earlier than the race weekend, within the hope of reconnecting extra straight with the automobile.
Mercedes and McLaren proceed to boost the bar
As if Ferrari’s personal considerations weren’t sufficient, its rivals proceed shifting ahead aggressively.
McLaren, which gained the Miami Dash with Lando Norris and secured one other sturdy Grand Prix consequence with each Norris and Oscar Piastri, is anticipated to carry the second section of its growth bundle to Montreal after already making clear beneficial properties in Florida.
Mercedes, in the meantime, is getting ready its first main technical improve bundle of the season at a circuit the place George Russell gained final yr. Toto Wolff’s staff at present leads each championships, with Kimi Antonelli on the prime of the drivers’ standings and Mercedes additionally controlling the constructors’ battle. Ferrari already trails by 70 factors. Sure, that is nonetheless solely spherical 5, so it might be untimely to name Canada Ferrari’s last championship likelihood.
However given the present efficiency considerations, the rising power of its rivals, and the primary seen indicators of inner stress, the comparability is probably not as exaggerated as Ferrari would love.
Could 18, 2026
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