Ferrari’s 2026 title state: second in the standings, but the upgrade race is the story
Ferrari is second in the 2026 constructors’ standings on 346 points, 122 behind Mercedes on 468 and 59 ahead of McLaren on 287. Lewis Hamilton is third in the drivers’ standings on 191 points with 1 win, while Charles Leclerc is fifth on 155 points with 1 win. The next race is Round 14, the Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled for 2026-09-13 at 13:00:00Z at Madring in Madrid, Spain.
That leaves Ferrari in a clear but uncomfortable place. It is still Mercedes’ closest challenger on points, yet the season now depends on whether the recent Barcelona aero package and the Monza ADUO-permitted engine step can turn Hamilton and Leclerc’s combined form into a genuine late push.
| Pos | Team | Points | Wins | Gap to Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes | 468 | 9 | 0 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 346 | 2 | -122 |
| 3 | McLaren | 287 | 2 | -181 |
| 4 | Red Bull | 0 | 0 | -468 |
Ferrari’s case is stronger than a simple second-place table suggests. Hamilton and Leclerc have scored all 346 Ferrari points between them — Hamilton with 191 and Leclerc with 155 — which means the team has two drivers inside the top five and no points spread problem at the front of the garage.
That split also shows why Ferrari remains in the fight despite Mercedes’ advantage in wins. Ferrari has 2 wins in 2026, compared with Mercedes’ 9, so the gap is not just about consistency; it is also about turning strong weekends into more frequent victories.
| Driver | Championship Position | Points | Wins | Share of Ferrari Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | 3 | 191 | 1 | 55.2% |
| Charles Leclerc | 5 | 155 | 1 | 44.8% |
There is one wrinkle in the wider Ferrari picture. The Ferrari team profile snippet lists the squad as 2nd with 165 season points, plus 6 Grand Prix races, 137 Grand Prix points, 0 Grand Prix wins, 5 Grand Prix podiums and 0 Grand Prix poles. That differs from the live championship table, which shows 346 points and 2 wins, so the live table is the benchmark for this article.
Why Ferrari’s upgrade path now defines the season
Ferrari’s development story is now the real pressure point. Formula1.com reported major aerodynamic upgrades in Barcelona as Ferrari chased Mercedes, and Autosport said Ferrari was “far away” from repeating that Barcelona level after difficult Austria practice, even though it had stunned Mercedes two weeks earlier by handing the Silver Arrows a first grand prix defeat of the 2026 season.
That contrast matters because it shows the challenge Ferrari faces across different track types. Barcelona suggested the package could close the gap; Austria suggested the same level was not yet repeatable when conditions changed.
Monza adds the next layer. Ferrari is set to use its ADUO-permitted engine upgrade at the Italian Grand Prix, alongside aerodynamic updates and track-specific parts for its home round, and it also unveiled a one-off Michael Schumacher-inspired livery for the SF-26 driven by Hamilton and Leclerc.
| Event/Phase | Upgrade or Development | Reported detail |
|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | Major aerodynamic upgrades | Ferrari introduced a major aero package as it chased Mercedes, according to Formula1.com. |
| Austria practice | Performance warning | Autosport said Ferrari was “far away” from repeating its Barcelona level after a difficult Friday, despite the earlier Mercedes defeat. |
| Monza / Italian Grand Prix | ADUO-permitted engine upgrade, plus aero updates and track-specific parts | Ferrari is set to bring the upgrade package for its home round. |
| Monza / Italian Grand Prix | Schumacher-inspired one-off livery | Ferrari unveiled the special livery for the SF-26 driven by Hamilton and Leclerc. |
Hamilton’s own Monza line adds some atmosphere without changing the bigger picture. He said pole at Ferrari’s home race would be “the ultimate dream”, which fits a team trying to turn development momentum into results rather than sentiment.
Spain is the immediate checkpoint before all of that. If Ferrari can carry its Barcelona pace to Madring, then the Monza package starts to look like a late-season weapon rather than a one-off home-race statement.