F1 fans deliver bleak verdict on Ferrari's 2026 title hopes

A majority of F1 fans have already written off Ferrari's 2026 title chances — just four races into the season. A RacingNews365 poll shows 53.74% believe the Scuderia is too far behind Mercedes to recover, even with two podiums and a second-place constructors' standing.

Why it matters:

Ferrari has not won a drivers' title since 2007 or a constructors' since 2008. After a promising start with Lewis Hamilton joining Charles Leclerc, early results show a 70-point gap to Mercedes — a deficit that fans see as insurmountable. The poll reflects growing skepticism that Maranello can end its championship drought anytime soon.

The details:

• Mercedes leads the constructors' championship with 180 points; Ferrari sits second on 110, just 16 ahead of McLaren — which has suffered three DNSes in four races.
• Both Ferrari drivers have scored podiums, but the major Miami upgrade package failed to close the gap to Mercedes, whose own big upgrade arrives in Canada.
• Fan poll results: 53.74% say 'Yes, too far behind', 37.25% say 'No, can still catch up', and 9.01% are unsure.
• The gap to Mercedes is the largest after four races in recent years, raising doubts about Ferrari's development trajectory.

What's next:

Ferrari's next chance to prove the doubters wrong comes at the Canadian Grand Prix, where Mercedes will debut its own upgrade package. The development race is still young, but history suggests that a 70-point deficit this early is tough to overturn. However, with 20 races remaining, a strong recovery could shift the narrative.