Ferrari hatch new plan to stop one concerning rumour about Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 F1 car

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Ferrari left the Barcelona shakedown feeling rather pleased, but the Scuderia are not entirely confident about Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s 2026 F1 regulations car.

The pride of Italy finished the first pre-season test of the 2026 regulations era with Hamilton setting the quickest lap of the entire week. A late hurrah from the 41-year-old on Friday saw the SF-26 lead the outright timesheet at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with a 1:16.348.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri scored pole position for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona last June with a 1:11.546, as he ate two seconds out of the benchmark lap that Lando Norris set in FP1 with a 1:13.718. But fast lap times were not the main goal in Barcelona this week.

Instead, reliability was the biggest priority for the 11 teams in the paddock in Montmelo this week after the biggest regulatory overhaul in F1 history. F1 has introduced new engines with a near 50/50 electrical/combustion power split, along with new aero, chassis and tyre rules.

George Russell topped the lap count at the Barcelona Shakedown 🔥

But is mileage everything at this stage? 🤔

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Ferrari will use the same engine in Bahrain to prove its reliability from Barcelona

Ferrari were concerned about the reliability of their 2026 F1 engine ahead of the Barcelona shakedown test, given the scale of the new rules. As well as the increase in electrical power from the previous 20/80 share, F1 has removed the MGU-H and moved to sustainable fuels.

READ MORE: Which F1 teams completed the most laps at the 2026 Barcelona shakedown

Those fears ultimately did not materialise at the Barcelona shakedown, with Ferrari posting the second-most laps by any team at 438. Engine customer Haas also completed the third-most laps with 387 across their three days of on-track running, while Cadillac recorded 165.

But Formula1.it reports that while Ferrari’s engine reliability in Barcelona has ‘satisfied’ their back engineers in Maranello, they are aware that the tests in Bahrain on February 11-13 and 18-20 will be a bigger test. Ferrari believe this week has only proven their solid foundations.

Scuderia bosses believe the hotter conditions in Sakhir will reveal any issues concerning the durability of their new engine. So, Ferrari intend to use the same power unit that Hamilton and Leclerc used in Barcelona during the first Bahrain pre-season test to prove their engine.

F1 has reduced the number of engine components drivers can use in 2026

Barcelona shakedown complete ✅ Which team has surprised you the most? 👇

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Ferrari believe the Bahrain tests will be ‘crucial’ for proving the true reliability of their 2026 regulations engine ahead of the season starting in Australia on March 6-8. The Scuderia are especially eager to know their power unit’s weakness to avoid receiving any grid penalties.

Despite 2026 being the start of a new regulatory era, F1 has reduced the number of engine components that drivers can use per season. From 2026, drivers will merit grid penalties if they exceed three ICEs, MGU-Ks or turbochargers, which were limited to four during 2025.

Teams are also limited to two control electronics and two energy stores (batteries) per car each season, as they were during 2025. So, Ferrari do not want to risk Hamilton or Leclerc receiving a grid penalty because the concerns about their engine’s unreliability prove true.