Ferrari’s 2026 Formula 1 campaign is beginning to follow a painfully familiar pattern, with the Italian giants once again struggling to maintain their momentum as the season enters its second half.
After a difficult 2025 campaign, Ferrari entered the new season with renewed optimism. The arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was expected to help transform the team’s fortunes, while a series of aggressive technical upgrades appeared to put the Scuderia in a much stronger position.
For a period, those expectations seemed justified.
Ferrari secured impressive victories in Barcelona and Silverstone, with Hamilton and Charles Leclerc respectively taking centre stage. The team also appeared to have made progress with its race strategy, an area that had frequently attracted criticism in previous seasons.
However, the positive momentum has seemingly disappeared.
Since Leclerc’s victory at the British Grand Prix in July, Ferrari’s campaign has taken a dramatic downturn. Hamilton, in particular, has seen his championship hopes suffer significantly. After Silverstone, the British driver was only 32 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Five races later, that deficit has reportedly grown to 101 points.
Leclerc has also endured a difficult run of form. At the Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari’s home race at Monza, the Monegasque driver was involved in contact with his teammate Hamilton before suffering a heavy crash shortly afterwards, adding further frustration to an already challenging period for the team.
Behind Ferrari’s disappointing results, tensions and questions surrounding the team’s internal operations have also increased.
Hamilton has been increasingly outspoken about Ferrari’s approach, particularly when it comes to race strategy and the way the two drivers are managed. The 41-year-old has questioned whether there are sufficiently clear rules regarding how Hamilton and Leclerc should compete against each other during races.
The situation has reportedly created frustration within Maranello, with Ferrari’s leadership facing renewed pressure to find solutions.
Hamilton’s comments have also highlighted the contrast between Ferrari’s current system and the environment he experienced during his long spell with Mercedes, where he felt the rules between teammates were clearer.
With the championship battle intensifying and Ferrari’s recent results falling short of expectations, the pressure is now firmly on the Scuderia to stop its latest slide before the season moves further beyond its control.
