Ferrari struggles at Interlagos as set-up compromise backfires

Ferrari's SF-26 was well off the pace at the São Paulo Grand Prix, a step back from its showing in Mexico City a week earlier. Interlagos, with its twisting middle sector and quick final sector, proved a difficult fit for the car, and engineers ran a relatively low-downforce set-up to counter the circuit's draggy nature. That left the car understeering through the middle sector with a snappy rear end.

The team's power unit also played a part. The smaller-diameter turbine that had reduced turbo lag at the altitude of Mexico City offered no such benefit at sea level in Brazil. With a more powerful engine, the team would likely have run more downforce, but the compromise left little room to manoeuvre.

Low temperatures and rain narrowed the tyres' working window. Ferrari also ran a higher-than-ideal inflation pressure on the first set of tyres to heat them quickly, a call that backfired by increasing tread temperatures and accelerating degradation.