(Motorsport-Total.com) – At the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, Ferrari introduced a technical update to its 067/6 combustion engine. It is now known what changes Ferrari made as part of the ADUO development program.
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The most important innovation concerns the combustion chambers, because Ferrari uses cylinder heads made of a steel alloy. This allows the engine to operate in pressure and temperature ranges that would not be achievable with aluminum cylinder heads.
Now the combustion chambers operate at around 110 degrees Celsius during the combustion process instead of the previous 100 degrees. The theory behind this: engines work more efficiently at higher temperatures. In combination with a new Shell fuel with a higher calorific value, this allows more fuel to be burned efficiently while producing fewer residues. This increases the mechanical work of the engine and leads to higher performance.
A side effect of higher allowable operating temperatures is that the cooling system does not have to be designed as strongly because the engine tolerates higher temperatures. This allows smaller radiators to be used, which in turn saves space, weight, and air resistance.
The next development step comes with the turbo
With this, Ferrari has used up its first ADUO development token. But the second is already planned: later in the season – probably in Zandvoort or Monza – Ferrari wants to use a modified turbo.
The diameter of the compressor wheel remains unchanged, but the number and angle of the blades will be adjusted. Further developments in the materials used are also expected.
This is a reaction to the first third of the 2026 Formula 1 season, in which Ferrari initially had an advantage at starts due to its smaller turbo. Ferrari had deliberately chosen the smaller turbo to reduce the so-called turbo lag after the removal of the MGU-H unit.
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However, the advantage was practically neutralized: the five-second procedure introduced by the FIA before the start gives all manufacturers enough time for safety reasons to bring their turbochargers up to speed. This is mainly intended to prevent vehicles from stalling on the starting grid. However, this new procedure neutralized Ferrari’s advantage at the start and was a major trigger for the planned turbo update.
Why Ferrari is pushing development so hard
The currently high development rate at Ferrari has already been noticed by the competition. In Austria, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expressed surprise at how intensively Ferrari is developing under the budget cap.
But Ferrari believes it is on track. Powertrain chief Enrico Gualtieri explained: “In this early phase of the new regulations, where performance levels are not yet fully equalized, a high development pace is just as important as the absolute gain from each individual update.”
Later in the season, technical reliability will be particularly important, said Gualtieri. “It is also crucial to keep the time between insights from the racetrack and their implementation in the factory as short as possible: to react quickly to the events of a weekend, to incorporate this information into development programs, and to introduce improvements efficiently.”
The implementation of this process has been “so far better” for some teams than for Ferrari, said Gualtieri. “We are aware of this and it is part of the reality in Formula 1. For us, it is both a motivation and a very clear goal. We know it will not be easy, but we are working on it with great dedication. Because we are convinced that we can achieve our goals with focus, methodology, and consistency.”
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