Norris believes Ferrari could take the lead with their engine improvements.

      World champion Lando Norris thinks that Ferrari could become nearly unbeatable if their upcoming engine upgrades perform as anticipated. Following Lewis Hamilton’s commanding win in Barcelona, focus is quickly shifting to the next step in Ferrari’s development plan as part of Formula 1’s contentious ADUO engine equalization system.

      "We’re fortunate that Ferrari doesn’t have a superior engine at the moment," Norris stated after the Spanish GP. "If they enhance their engine, they’ll dominate everything. They’re already leading the pack in cornering speed. We’re not even on their level. If they upgrade the engine now, they’ll make everyone else look foolish," added the McLaren driver.

      According to Auto Motor und Sport, Ferrari’s current position stems from a strategic choice. The team supposedly accepted a power deficit at the beginning of the season in order to optimize other performance areas, including drivability, low-speed response, and aerodynamic efficiency. The FIA’s initial ADUO assessment reportedly confirmed Ferrari’s expectation that their internal combustion engine was over 4 percent short of the benchmark, allowing for several development opportunities within the equalization framework.

      Ferrari’s first engine upgrade is expected as soon as next week’s Austrian GP at Spielberg, with reports indicating that the current deficit of about 25 horsepower could be cut by more than half. Another upgrade is reportedly already in development for Monza later in the season.

      Red Bull continues to challenge the FIA’s controversial evaluation that classified Red Bull-Ford as the benchmark engine manufacturer, thereby limiting its development chances. "We would definitely like to engage in a more detailed conversation because we don’t see any data sample indicating we have an advantage over our friends at Mercedes," team principal Laurent Mekies commented. He argues that Red Bull’s performances on track tell a different narrative. "You look at Canada, where there’s high ICE power sensitivity, we qualified sixth. In Monaco, with low ICE power sensitivity, we were nearly 0.04 from pole. And in Barcelona, again with high ICE power sensitivity, we qualified sixth."

      Mekies maintains that Red Bull’s analysis does not align with the FIA’s findings. "We don’t see any data sample where we consider ourselves to be ahead of the competition, let alone consistently above them."

      Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux criticized the 2026 regulations, stating, "This regulation is appalling," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "It’s far too complicated, and it’s unacceptable for drivers to have to recharge their batteries on the straight. I’m not against electric cars, but the 50-50 ratio was a terrible idea."