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Ferrari expects gap to Mercedes to double on fast circuits
Following Lewis Hamilton's recent victory in Barcelona, Ferrari nurtured hopes of a serious title fight, but the team now fears that the upcoming races will prove a major challenge.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-02T17:08:44.000Z - 1 min read
Lewis Hamilton's recent victory in Barcelona sparked hopes that Ferrari could become a serious contender in this Formula 1 season's title race. However, that euphoria appears premature, as a cautious mood prevails within the team.
Hamilton himself is tempering expectations, emphasizing that the road to the top remains long. In doing so, he points above all to the impressive strength of his former team Mercedes, describing it as "phenomenal."
Concerns are growing within Ferrari that the performance gap to Mercedes could widen significantly at upcoming circuits such as Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps. The team fears a deficit potentially twice as large as previously seen.
This anticipated disadvantage is attributed partly to the fact that Scuderia is still grappling with a lack of pure engine performance, an area where the competition looks stronger on high-speed layouts.