Ferrari readying a ‘lot more’ upgrades for second Bahrain F1 test as key aero changes spotted

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Pre-season for the 2026 F1 season is officially underway in Bahrain, and Ferrari have wasted no time in revealing their development path ahead of the first round of racing in Australia.

Following the conclusion of the opening day of F1’s first Bahrain test, technical expert Sam Collins highlighted several ‘intricate aerodynamic elements’ on Ferrari’s SF-26 that have been added since the inaugural Barcelona shakedown.

Ferrari arrived in Sakhir with a car that looks a lot more refined than the design seen in Montmelo, as per Fred Vasseur’s previous comments about the Scuderia slowly revealing the chassis that will be put to use at the season-opener.

Lewis Hamilton was seen ‘struggling’ with the new SF-26 during his first few laps of the Sakhir International Circuit, but the braking issue has been attributed to the scorching conditions in Bahrain after a similar problem was experienced by others during their respective programmes.

• READ MORE: Ferrari have fixed one of Lewis Hamilton’s biggest bugbears from last season with their 2026 car

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Sam Collins reveals that Ferrari are looking to bring a ‘lot more’ upgrades to the second F1 test in Bahrain

During Collins’ round-up of the first day of testing in Bahrain on F1’s official YouTube channel, the technical expert outlined the key changes that the Maranello-based outfit has made since the Barcelona shakedown, as well as what they have in store.

He said, “Ferrari is one team that everybody always talks about. You can see some of the beautiful intricate aerodynamic elements around the rear of the diffuser, and this is an area that every team is working on much harder than normal.

“You can also see other areas that are quite important, like ahead of the rear wheel. They’ve actually changed one of those for today, the first day of testing in Bahrain. They’ve changed the cutouts ahead of the rear wheel of the car.

“It is just a generally interesting design, but we do hear that Ferrari has an awful lot more to come in terms of upgrades in the second Bahrain test, or possibly even by the end of this test. So keep an eye on that one.”

The upcoming campaign marks Hamilton’s first car with the Scuderia that he has had a big part in developing.

Hamilton noted how he has been ‘grateful’ to Ferrari engineers for allowing him to aid their development charge, and it should end up producing a car that is more catered to the seven-time world champion’s abilities than its predecessor.

• READ MORE: Alex Brundle plays down Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari struggles after first day of Bahrain testing

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Ferrari’s aggressive development strategy may have been spurred on by Fred Vasseur’s job insecurity

While Ferrari are unlikely to be the only F1 team that brings a swathe of upgrades to the next week of testing in Bahrain, team principal Vasseur has likely ramped up development efforts in order to secure his position at the team.

It has been reported that Vasseur’s job currently hinges on Ferrari winning a title in 2026, so it’s a pivotal season for the Frenchman.

The 57-year-old was handed a new deal by the Scuderia last season, leading many F1 paddock figures to question whether Vasseur is the right man to lead Ferrari to a championship.