Guenther Steiner: Ferrari's Issues Are 'Many Small Things,' Not One Big Problem

Guenther Steiner believes Ferrari's inconsistency comes down to a collection of small problems rather than one major flaw. The former Haas team principal shared his assessment after Ferrari's strong start to 2026 — including Lewis Hamilton's first podium with the team in China — gave way to a disappointing Miami Grand Prix, where Hamilton finished sixth and Charles Leclerc dropped to eighth after a penalty. McLaren's major upgrade package pushed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to second and third, exposing Ferrari's relative lack of race pace.

Why it matters:

Ferrari has shown flashes of competitiveness but can't sustain performance across a full race distance. Steiner's outside perspective highlights a recurring weakness: tire degradation that worsens as the race progresses. If the team cannot address these small but cumulative issues, it risks falling behind McLaren and others in the championship fight — despite the optimism that followed Hamilton's early-season result.

The details:

• Multiple small fixes needed: “There is not one thing, it's a lot of little things,” Steiner said on The Red Flags Podcast. “If there were one big thing, it would be easier to fix.”
• Tire degradation is the tell: Ferrari struggles more when tires get older. “That's normally down to downforce because you slide more, you use them up more,” Steiner explained. The car can fight early in the race but fades as the stint goes on.
• Power unit is not the issue: Steiner noted the Ferrari power unit seems strong. “The power unit shouldn't get worse over distance, so it's one of these things I don't really know.” This suggests chassis and aero efficiency are the culprits.
• Overconfidence warning: Steiner also criticized Ferrari chairman John Elkann's early declaration that “Ferrari is back.” “A race later, they're back where they were before,” Steiner said. “Just give yourself time to announce things. Get there and be there, not just get there.”

Between the lines:

Steiner's analysis echoes what many have observed: Ferrari is close but not quite there. The margin to McLaren is small — “it's not that they are far off” — but fixing a series of minor weaknesses is more frustrating than solving one big one. The team needs to find consistency in race trim, especially in tire management, to turn early promise into sustained results.