Over the past two formula one races, Ferrari and Mercedes have shown their strength in the new 2026 cars. 

During the Australian Grand Prix, Both Mercedes drivers and Leclerc were on the podium, with Hamilton just behind in 4th place. The two teams are taking up the top 4 places at the Australian Grand Prix, showing unbelievable improvement from last year, which is especially impressive given that the cars completely changed along with the new regulations. This could’ve gone 50/50, an advantage or a disaster, but these teams saw an opportunity.

During the Shanghai Grand Prix, both Ferrari and mercedes found themselves at the top 4 again, only this time, the second drivers of the team made it above their teammate. Each race getting more and more exciting as the two teams are constantly neck and neck with each other throughout the races.

It’s no secret that Ferrari and Mercedes are crucial and influential teams in Formula One, known for their deep history in motor racing and multiple F1 championships. But, compared to the 2025 season, It felt like Ferrari and Mercedes were stuck behind teams like RedBull and McLaren.

It seemed like both teams kept searching for pace and consistency

In 2025, Mercedes were still recovering from a failed design concept of a “Zero-Sidepod” which hindered their consistency which resulted in i being difficult to balance. Though Mercedes’ competitive nature helped them stay among the top, they could not match up with RedBull or McLaren. Mercedes lacked straight line speed on fast circuits and stability in high speed corners.

Ferrari on the other hand, had an amazing start of the season with a promising, strong, one lap pace. But, it seemed like Ferrari stopped improving mid-season. A big component of their lack of development was their tire management and degradation isssue. Many fans felt frustrated with Ferrari’s questionable calls when it came to tire management during races or poor pit stop times.

What exactly has Ferrari and Mercedes done to be potential front runners? The 2026 regulation changed, which forced every team to change everything. 

Mercedes used this to their advantage by stabilizing and defining their concept, showing a clear direction for the team. Now with the hybrid cars, Mercedes are seen managing the Power unit effectively and overall, keeping a good balance with the car in high speed straights and corners.

Ferrari has become more consistent, and has been performing really well in their launch performance, and taking a more aggressive driving approach, even if it means racing against a teammate. 

As of now, Mercedes is still quite a bit ahead of Ferrari, but it is still only the start of the season, and both teams are still improving, so we could possibly see Ferrari close the gap with Mercedes. We may even see a championship battle between both teams.