Ferrari have now set the exact opposite ‘objective’ to Red Bull ahead of 2026 F1 pre-season testing

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Ferrari have gone all-in on the 2026 F1 regulations being their route back to the top in a bid to win their first drivers’ title since 2007 and first constructors’ title since 2008.

The New Year marks the start of a new era for Formula 1, as the series introduces its biggest overhaul of the regulations to date. Ferrari, like many of their rivals, moved early to invest in their car for the 2026 F1 regulations, which feature new engine, chassis, aero and tyre rules.

Ferrari, initially, emerged as a potential title contender at the start of the last regulatory era in 2022, as Charles Leclerc briefly threatened to fight for the F1 drivers’ championship. Max Verstappen of Red Bull ultimately won the title in 2022 by 146 points over Leclerc in second.

The 2022 season remains the only time that Leclerc has ever fought for the drivers’ title. He also had his fourth winless term in seven years for the Scuderia in 2025 after team principal Fred Vasseur chose to stop developing Ferrari’s 2025 car in April to prioritise the 2026 rules.

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Ferrari will run a ‘hidden’ specification of their 2026 regulations car at the first pre-season test

Ferrari’s decision to abandon all aerodynamic updates for the SF-25 ultimately ensured they only finished fourth in the 2025 constructors’ standings. Lewis Hamilton also failed to take a single Grand Prix podium finish during his first season at Ferrari after joining from Mercedes.

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

Vasseur hopes that Ferrari going all-in on F1’s 2026 regulations very early now pays off, with the Scuderia’s new car set to be unveiled on January 23 at Fiorano. But the real race version of their new challenger will not be seen until at least the second pre-season test in Bahrain.

According to Fanpage, Ferrari will not have a race-ready version of their new car at the first 2026 pre-season test in Barcelona on January 26-30. Instead, Leclerc and Hamilton will run in a ‘hidden’ specification so that they give their rivals ‘no clues’ about Ferrari’s new design.

Ferrari’s ‘objective’ for the behind-closed-doors test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is to simply validate the interactions between their new engine, the electronics and the active aero that is making its debut on front wings in 2026 to support the latest power unit rules.

The Scuderia might even wait until the opening round of the 2026 season at the Australian Grand Prix on March 6-8 to unveil the real race version of their car for the new regulations. Ferrari aim to continue developing their car until the moment that it is flown to Melbourne.

Red Bull see more benefits from using a race-ready car at the 2026 Barcelona test

F1 is staging a behind-closed-doors test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this January to allow the 11 teams, with Cadillac joining the field, a chance to test their new cars in private due to the extent of the new regulations and the likelihood of some having reliability issues.

READ MORE: Top 10 drivers to race for Ferrari in Formula 1, ranked

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Ferrari thus see the test as a chance to gain data without seeking any performance from the base version of their car for the 2026 regulations. Yet not every team seemingly agrees with Ferrari’s approach, as Red Bull will take a race-ready car to the first 2026 test in Barcelona.

Like Ferrari, Red Bull see the first pre-season test as a chance to record vital data that they will then use to develop their car during the early months of the 2026 campaign. But unlike Ferrari, Red Bull believe using a race-ready version of the RB22 will give them better results.

Red Bull will believe their stance is justifiable as they are becoming a power unit constructor for the first time in 2026 after Honda’s move to Aston Martin. While Ferrari have also had to develop a new engine for the 2026 power unit regulations, they can use years of experience.