Red Mist: Is second best Ferrari closer to the pace than it seems?

While it seems fashionable to bash Ferrari in Formula 1, the Scuderia’s performance over the past few races has actually been pretty impressive. Most notably so in Austria this last weekend.

Of course, we’re dealing with dominant McLaren at the moment, but while it’s a little off, Ferrari now seems a solid second best. And improving fast. Oftentimes on Sunday, even with the papaya flat out nose to tail, the red car was quicker and closed the deficit down at certain phases of the tyre curve. Not quite enough. Yet. But heartening still.

A subtle floor upgrade in Austria seems to have completed the raft of recent changes as Ferrari tries to balance developing an all-new concept for 2026 while fighting back to pace in 2025. But it seems to be working.

Win or bust, Mercedes and that single-car team Red Bull are blowing far hotter and colder than Ferrari this season. Yes, there have been frustrating days for the Cavallino. But less of them than Mercedes seems to be dealing with. Indomitable in Canada, they even had trouble in staving that pesky Sauber off on Sunday. Audi, that is…

Charles Leclerc seemed buoyed by the Austrian updates. "Definitely a step forward,” he reported. “I think it helped us to be on the podium today. We still have more updates on the way to hopefully bring us closer to McLaren, and to keep beating Mercedes and Red Bull, even on their good days".

"I think we've moved forward," Lewis Hamilton added. "It was a small upgrade, small enough that the lads didn't even mention it, but it proved a real positive. We've moved forwards and Ferrari was second fastest this weekend, so I think third and fourth is a real positive.”

Substitute team principal Jerome d'Ambrosio suggested there was still more to come: “I won’t reveal how we will approach the next six months, and we're obviously in a phase of the season where we must consider budgets especially with the big change in 2026, but we still want to keep pushing the boundaries and improve the car, so let's see."

Diving into the obvious data, Charles Leclerc has now been on the podium in three of the past four races. The only driver besides the McLarens to do so. And both cars have finished every race so far this season. Something only Ferrari has achieved.

Most significantly, however, while Ferrari has to an extent struggled and also at times proven a little erratic, it’s car performance that’s caused that. Unlike a few years ago in that dreadful Binotto-Mekies era when Maranello had the best car at so many races. But strategy, blunders and stupidity squandered more points than this lack of pace ever did.

So, heading to Silverstone, Ferrari has a definite spring in its step. With the ability to hover frustratingly close to McLaren all weekend in Austria, it only needs around a quarter second a lap more to take it to the papaya cars. And where better to do that than right there in their backyard? Forza Ferrari!