Ferrari will finally unleash their ‘complete’ 2026 car at Miami Grand Prix after successful test

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Ferrari’s vision for their 2026 Formula 1 car will finally be realised at the Miami Grand Prix next weekend, according to a report. The landscape at the front of the grid could change as Mercedes’ rivals ready major upgrades.

Mercedes’ advantage – around half a second in both qualifying and race trim – is so significant that it is unlikely to be overhauled in the short-term, even after an extended break.

While McLaren made progress in Japan with Oscar Piastri’s impressive P2 finish, Ferrari have been the nearest challengers to Mercedes so far.

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Previous reports have suggested that Ferrari are focused on fighting for the title in 2027, but Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton could yet be a factor in this year’s battle if the Miami upgrade puts them in the victory picture.

Ferrari expect to show their ‘true potential’ at the Miami Grand Prix

While Ferrari’s Monza test was nominally a ‘filming day’ – each team is allowed two such promotional outings every year – they used it to test a raft of car developments, most notably an updated ‘Macarena’ wing.

The rotating wing left fans, and even some rival teams, stunned, but it hasn’t yet been used in a competitive session. That could yet change during the Miami Sprint weekend.

According to Motorsport IT, Ferrari will ‘finally’ unleash a ‘complete’ version of their 2026 car in Florida. Loic Serra and his design team are optimistic that they can display the ‘true potential’ of their concept.

F1 is back! Who is going to win the Miami Grand Prix?

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The Scuderia are about 25 horsepower down on Mercedes, which puts extra pressure on the aerodynamic department to close the gap. Ferrari don’t anticipate a significant engine upgrade until July, even though they will likely have access to Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) under the new rules.

It’s estimated that Ferrari have changed almost half of their car since Japan, though it remains to be seen whether McLaren and Red Bull will bring similarly transformative upgrades.

How Red Bull’s 2024 season gives Ferrari hope against Mercedes

Based on the evidence so far, a two-horse title race between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli looks overwhelmingly likely. Mercedes’ combined winning margin over the first three rounds was almost a minute (54.4 seconds).

But the last two seasons have shown that the pecking order can change dramatically in season. Max Verstappen was over 100 points off the championship lead with 10 races to go last year but he ultimately finished just two points behind Lando Norris as Red Bull delivered a seismic upgrade.

The 2024 season should give even more hope to Mercedes’ rivals. Red Bull started the season with three one-two finishes in four races and looked set to repeat their historic 2023 dominance.

But it was Miami where things changed as McLaren wiped out the gap almost entirely. Verstappen may have won the title despite growing pressure from Norris, but the Woking outfit dethroned Red Bull in the constructors’.

It’s rare for a top team to find so much performance with one upgrade, but this year the rate of development should be higher than ever, given that it’s only the beginning of a brand-new formula. For fans of Ferrari and McLaren, there is hope.