Ferrari are now set to copy ‘courageous’ McLaren with a key change to Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 F1 car

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Ferrari are still in the fight for second place in the 2025 F1 constructors’ standings, but their engineers in Maranello are also busy designing their car for the 2026 regulations.

Any hopes that the Scuderia had for winning either championship quickly evaporated during the 2025 F1 season. So, Ferrari elected to join a raft of their rival teams in shifting their focus to 2026 at an early stage, with the development of the SF-25 ceased to prioritise resources.

Ferrari can still seal second in the 2025 F1 constructors’ championship, with three rounds of the season remaining. The pride of Italy will head into this week’s Las Vegas Grand Prix with a 36-point deficit to Mercedes and a four-point deficit to Red Bull in their scuffle for second.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton also only sit fifth and sixth in the drivers’ standings, with 214 and 148 points respectively this term. And Hamilton admits that Ferrari focusing on F1’s 2026 regulations made 2025 “less exciting”, as they ceased developing the SF-25 so soon.

Ferrari aim to copy McLaren as they return to a push-rod front suspension set-up in 2026

Ferrari did not want to waste any wind tunnel and CFD time developing their 2025 car at the expense of their package for the 2026 F1 regulations. And Motorsport.com now reports that Ferrari’s engineers have taken inspiration from a part that McLaren first used two years ago.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and aero regulations

The Scuderia are set to replace the pull-rod front suspension set-up they moved to for 2025 to return to a push-rod set-up in 2026. Yet while Ferrari ‘want to play it safe’, they also want to introduce a fresh element and plan to move the steering arm to mimic McLaren’s set-up.

McLaren ‘courageously’ spearheaded the idea of moving the steering arm behind the lower wishbone, which Mercedes have since copied and Ferrari now intend to replicate in 2026. It is hoped that the move will give Ferrari more scope to develop their car during next season.

Reverting to a push-rod set-up presents Ferrari with ‘greater difficulties’ installing their new chassis for the 2026 F1 regulations. But head of aerodynamics Diego Tondi and aerodynamic development chief Franck Sanchez believe McLaren proved the progress that can be found.

Ferrari’s failed rear suspension upgrade at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix has also encouraged them to make further changes in 2026. The Scuderia had hoped that lowering the front arm of the upper wishbone would improve their car’s balance, but it only marginally improved.

Ferrari’s 2025 rear suspension upgrade in Belgium did not deliver what the team needed

Ferrari could not afford to make another change to their rear suspension during the 2025 F1 season after their upgrade in Belgium proved a failure due to the restraints that the cost cap imposes. They would have also had to make more tweaks to their gearbox for a new design.

Suspension changes have been a key theme with the SF-25, and not for the reasons that the pride of Italy desired at the start of this term. Ferrari moved to a pull-rod suspension set-up for 2025 to try to better control their car’s ride height, which has proven to be a huge issue.

Hamilton was disqualified from the 2025 F1 Chinese Grand Prix due to excessive wear to his plank as Ferrari ran his car too low to the ground. It was not until July that Ferrari ran a rear suspension update at Spa, as they also tried to make the rear of the SF-25 more predictable.

But the upgrade did not deliver anywhere near the levels of what Ferrari needed, so further changes are now said to be on the horizon in 2026. Hamilton and Leclerc will hope a return to the push-rod front suspension set-up lets them fight for at least a Grand Prix win in 2026.