Norris: Ferrari will 'embarrass everyone' with more engine power

Lando Norris believes Ferrari is one engine upgrade away from dominating Formula 1, warning that the Scuderia could "embarrass everyone" once it addresses its current power deficit. The McLaren driver, who finished 23.7 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton in third place at the Spanish Grand Prix, says Ferrari's SF-26 is already the "class of the field" through corners despite running a smaller turbo that limits its straight-line speed.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's victory in Barcelona snapped Mercedes' early-season winning streak and showcased the team's rapid chassis development. Norris's assessment underscores a difficult reality for McLaren and the rest of the grid: a Ferrari equipped with both superior cornering performance and a competitive engine could open a performance gap that rivals are currently unable to bridge, fundamentally altering the championship fight.

The details:

• Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Norris admitted that McLaren is "not even close" to Ferrari in terms of cornering performance and remains "a long, long way from where we need to be."
• The SF-26 has generated praise for its mechanical grip and aerodynamic balance, but its smaller turbocharger has left it vulnerable on long straights compared to the power units from Mercedes and Red Bull.
• Ferrari is expected to receive two upgrades through the FIA's soon-to-be-announced Automated Directive Upgrade Opportunity (ADUO) process, specifically allowing performance enhancements to the power unit.
• Hamilton's maiden win for the Scuderia in Barcelona — secured from the front row after qualifying just 0.064s behind pole-sitter George Russell — proved the package is already competitive even without full engine capability.

What's next:

The looming threat of Ferrari marrying its class-leading chassis to a more powerful engine places immediate development pressure on McLaren. As the ADUO window approaches, Norris's comments reflect growing concern that Maranello could pull away from the field entirely if its upcoming engine upgrades deliver the expected straight-line gains.