Ferrari has reportedly made the final decision to run its upgraded Formula 1 engine at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza this weekend. The decision comes after a series of reliability checks throughout the week, marking a crucial step for the Maranello-based team to close the gap to Mercedes in the constructors' standings.
As reported by Motorsport.com, Ferrari will utilize the Additional Upgrades and Development Opportunities (ADUO) system to introduce the second of its two permitted power unit upgrades. Previously, Ferrari introduced its first upgrade at the Austrian Grand Prix in June, following the award of two upgrade tokens after being deemed over 4% behind Red Bull's F1 2026 engine benchmark.
The ADUO 2 upgrade is understood to include an upgraded and larger turbocharger, estimated to provide an increase of 15 horsepower. It is hoped this improvement can at least halve Ferrari's deficit to Mercedes on the straights. Additionally, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will benefit from a new fuel developed by Shell.
Ferrari will also bring further aerodynamic upgrades to Monza, including a new version of its so-called 'Macarena' rear wing. The team will also run its SF-26 cars in a special livery paying tribute to Michael Schumacher's career, with one-off race suits already revealed for both drivers.
Ferrari's hopes of winning its home race have been boosted by the confirmation that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start from the back of the grid, with Mercedes electing to fit his W17 with a new power unit. Team-mate George Russell will also have to serve a grid penalty for an engine change at some point before the end of the campaign, though Mercedes is yet to decide where.
Ferrari heads to Monza second in the constructors' championship, 87 points behind Mercedes. In the drivers' standings, Hamilton sits third, 59 points behind Antonelli. With various factors aligning, Ferrari clearly aims to capitalize on this momentum to reduce the gap and surprise the tifosi.
When asked about expectations for Monza, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur jokingly replied: "We do the best. So far this season, sometimes we are not expecting to get good results and we had them, and sometimes we are expecting to get better results and we struggled a bit more. I think there is much more into the execution than into the pure potential. It means that I think the best lesson of the weekend in Zandvoort is that if you want to win, you have to do the perfect job."
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