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Ferrari are eyeing the 2026 F1 regulatory reset as the perfect opportunity to put an end to their title drought, and have taken some inspiration from a wing trick that aided Sebastian Vettel’s dominance with Red Bull to help their charge.
It’s been a long time since Ferrari fans had something to celebrate in F1. Despite the Scuderia securing a double-digit number of Grand Prix victories over the last 18 years, no championships have returned to Maranello.
However, the new F1 regulations that are now in effect offer the perfect opportunity for Ferrari to turn their recent woes around, and it’s clear that engineers at the iconic Italian racing outfit are doing everything in their power to do so.
After Ferrari enjoyed a well-oiled testing programme in Bahrain last week, it was suggested that engineers were readying a swathe of further upgrades for the second week of testing in Sakhir.
Fred Vasseur’s job remains on the line, so it’s paramount that the SF-26 is in an optimal position to challenge for the 2026 world title from the very first race of the season.
- READ MORE: Ferrari readying a ‘lot more’ upgrades for second Bahrain F1 test as key aero changes spotted
How much have Ferrari impressed you in testing?
Ferrari targets Red Bull dominance with complex upgrade that ‘won’t be easy’ for F1 rivals to copy
According to a report by Auto Motor und Sport, one of the upgrades that Ferrari have brought to the second week of testing in Bahrain is a new wing element that has been fitted to the top of the diffuser roof and directly behind the exhaust tailpipe.
It is understood that the element produces additional downforce when engine speeds increase, which has reminded many of the blown diffuser that helped Sebastian Vettel win his four titles with Red Bull at the beginning of the 2010s.
Due to the trick performing best at high engine speeds, it will reportedly allow Ferrari to benefit from better energy management, while not sacrificing any performance in corners.
F1 drivers have expressed their dismay with the need to keep engine revs artificially high, with Fernando Alonso labelling it as ‘annoying’ during his first laps with Aston Martin’s new AMR26.
If Ferrari are able to extract the maximum potential out of the new upgrade, it could pay them back in dividends once cars hit the track in Melbourne.
McLaren boss Andrea Stella was seen examining the SF-26’s rear on the first day of F1’s second test in Bahrain, but a separate report by Autosprint has highlighted how the element ‘won’t be easy’ for their F1 rivals to copy, due to its position around the rear impact structure of the car.
If any rival constructors plan on taking inspiration from them, they may need to redesign the entire rear end of their 2026 F1 challenger to cater for it.
- READ MORE: Ralf Schumacher performs Ferrari U-turn following positive technical updates at 2026 Bahrain F1 test
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Lewis Hamilton is among the many F1 drivers who have voiced their frustrations with the new regulations
The new regulations have been in the spotlight since the 2026 challengers took to the Sakhir International Circuit last week, with Max Verstappen’s comments about F1 now being ‘Formula E on steroids’ landing him in hot water.
Hamilton shared a similar opinion to Verstappen, and F1 pundit Ralf Schumacher has revealed that the seven-time world champion was also approached by FOM to tone down the negative press.
In a recent episode of the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher said, “So, from what I’ve heard, someone in charge at Formula 1 went directly to Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton personally.
“And then asked them to maybe wait and see for now and not be quite so negative. Let’s see if that works, because I could imagine that with Lewis and Max, you might be banging your head against a brick wall. There could be a defiant reaction.”
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