Ferrari targets turbo upgrade after summer break to close gap to Mercedes

Ferrari has confirmed plans for a second power unit upgrade this season, with a newly designed turbocharger expected to arrive at either Zandvoort or Monza following the summer break, as the Maranello outfit works to close the gap to Mercedes.

The update will be Ferrari’s second use of an ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) credit, a mechanism that allows manufacturers to make targeted engine developments during the season. Ferrari was granted two such credits after the first ADUO checkpoint post-Montreal, when FIA technical inspectors measured the team’s performance deficit at more than 4% against the Red Bull-Ford internal combustion engine — currently designated the benchmark power unit by the FIA, though Red Bull disputes that assessment.

For Austria, Ferrari has already introduced its first ADUO modification: a steel-alloy cylinder head that replaces the traditional aluminium-alloy component and allows engineers to push combustion chamber pressure and temperature to levels previously unattainable. The team is running cylinders at 110°C during the combustion process, up from 100°C, which in combination with a Shell fuel of higher calorific value allows more fuel particles to be burned while producing fewer residual emissions — directly boosting power output. A secondary benefit is that higher coolant temperatures reduce the delta between heated and cooled fluid, enabling smaller radiators.

The forthcoming turbocharger upgrade will keep the impeller diameter unchanged but will feature a different number and angle of blades, along with advances in materials. Ferrari’s original choice of a compact turbocharger at the start of the 2026 season was a deliberate strategy to reduce turbo lag following the removal of the MGU-H, but the anticipated advantage — particularly at race starts — has been largely neutralised by the FIA’s five-second pre-start procedure, which gives all manufacturers enough time to spool up their turbos safely.

Mercedes and Honda are not expected to introduce ADUO upgrades, meaning Ferrari, like Audi before them in Barcelona, will be looking to exploit an early window of advantage with the new hardware. The team is managing expectations around the Austria package, framing it as a foundation for further development rather than an immediate performance leap.