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Ferrari unveiled the SF-26 with a shakedown at Fiorano on Friday, which offered some clues about Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s new car for the 2026 F1 regulations.
The Scuderia took the covers off the SF-26 this Friday morning, before Hamilton and Leclerc completed a combined five laps around the Fiorano test circuit. Ferrari cited their session as a shakedown, under which F1 allows teams to complete a total of 15km of on-track running.
Hamilton briefly sparked concern when he pulled over shortly before he completed a full lap of Fiorano. But it was a planned stop, as Ferrari wanted to conduct a one-lap installation run before Hamilton and Leclerc both completed two full laps of Fiorano within their 15km limit.
Ferrari have bet heavily on the 2026 F1 regulations, as the Scuderia look to win their first F1 drivers’ championship since 2007 and constructors’ title since 2008. F1 has introduced new engine, aerodynamic, chassis and tyre rules for the 2026 season in the biggest overhaul yet.
Are we looking at the car that will win Ferrari their first drivers’ championship since 2007?
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Ferrari’s shakedown suggests the SF-26 has ‘exceptionally refined’ engine packaging
Hamilton immediately tested Ferrari’s new active aero on their 2026 F1 car on his first lap of Fiorano. F1 has incorporated active aero on front and rear wings to allay fears that the 2026 engines with a near 50/50 electrical/ICE power split could run out of energy on some tracks.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the 2026 F1 engine and aero regulations
Ferrari’s shakedown at Fiorano also suggested that the Scuderia might have found a ‘crucial’ advantage with Hamilton and Leclerc’s new car. That is according to RacingNews365, which claims the sidepods on the SF-26 suggest their engine packaging is ‘exceptionally refined’.
The Maranello squad have positioned the air intakes on the sidepods of their 2026 car high. Also, the ‘extremely compact’ sidepod design suggests that Ferrari have been able to refine the packaging of their drivetrain and radiators, which could prove ‘crucial’ for performance.
Friday’s shakedown also offered further hints of the refined internal packaging of the SF-26, as its noticeably narrow rear end suggests that Ferrari focused on managing the airflow and directing air into the rear diffuser. But the car Ferrari used on Friday is not their final design.
Ferrari plan to throw away their sidepod designs used in the Barcelona and Bahrain tests
What is your favourite era of F1 regulations?
Ferrari will not use a race-ready 2026 rules car during pre-season testing, as they aim to use the official shakedown in Barcelona and the first of the two official tests in Bahrain to gather data to direct their updates. Ferrari may even wait until the first race to reveal their real car.
Additionally, Ferrari plan to use a third version of their 2026 sidepod design at the first race in Australia on March 6-8, after using a basic package in Barcelona and then a slightly more advanced design in Bahrain. It will thus remain to be seen whether Ferrari’s advantage lasts.
Ferrari are prioritising gathering data across the Barcelona shakedown and Bahrain tests, as the changes to the engine and aero rules pose a huge challenge. Hamilton is well aware of the challenge of the 2026 F1 engine regulations and the task of managing his energy levels.
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