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Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap time at the Barcelona shakedown test, but a lot of people in the paddock have developed the same concern about Ferrari’s 2026 F1 car.
The Maranello natives stole the spotlight as the first pre-season test of F1’s 2026 regulations era came to an end on Friday evening. Hamilton hit the circuit using a set of soft Pirelli tyres, and he set a 1:16.348 to edge the benchmark 1:16:445 that George Russell of Mercedes set.
Lap times are largely irrelevant in testing, especially at the first test of a new regulatory era, as teams prioritised reliability over pace. But Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were able to get good mileage in the Ferrari SF-26, with only Mercedes registering a higher overall lap count.
Mercedes and Ferrari were the only teams to do more than 100 laps on all three of the days they ran at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as they set totals of 504 and 438 each. Haas recorded the highest single-day lap count at 191, over Mercedes’ 183 and Ferrari’s 174 laps.
Lewis Hamilton led the way in Barcelona but the gaps were tight!
Who impressed you most in the shakedown? ⬇️
‘A lot’ of Ferrari’s rivals think the handling of Lewis Hamilton’s 2026 F1 car is a concern
Ferrari still have work to do to get the SF-26 in the ideal operating window when pre-season testing continues in Bahrain on February 11-13 and 18-20. Ferrari have reverted to push-rod suspension with their 2026 car, along with adapting to the new aero and chassis regulations.
READ MORE: Which F1 teams completed the most laps at the 2026 Barcelona shakedown
Craig Slater reports that “a lot” of rival teams believe the SF-26’s handling is Ferrari’s biggest “downside” after watching Hamilton and Leclerc on track in Barcelona. Ferrari are still at an early stage in the development plans, and Bahrain will yield more representative conditions.
“A lot of people are saying the Ferrari looks quite a handful,” Slater told Sky Sports. “Actually, several individuals from different teams have said that to me, and maybe that’s the downside to that car right now.”
Ferrari have not revealed the true race version of their 2026 F1 car yet
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Ferrari had a basic version of their 2026 F1 car at the Barcelona shakedown, as the Scuderia prioritised gathering data that will dictate their development plans over refining their set-up at the opening test. The Scuderia may even wait until the first race to reveal their actual car.
As the 2026 regulations mark the biggest regulatory changes in F1 history, with new engine, aero, chassis and tyre rules all coming into force at once, Ferrari wanted to validate the data from their simulations over the winter. So, Bahrain should offer a better picture for their car.
That said, rival teams suspect Ferrari have an S-Duct on their 2026 F1 car after watching the Scuderia in Barcelona. Additionally, the FIA wants a closer look at Ferrari’s aero package on the SF-26, as the Scuderia have been extremely aggressive with their latest design concept.
But concerns spread among the F1 paddock in Barcelona about the handling of Ferrari’s new car. Hamilton regularly struggled through Barcelona’s Turn 10, where he spun, had a flurry of off-track moments and frequently suffered with oversteer during the Briton’s time on track.
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