Ferrari’s 2026 F1 car immediately gets ‘mind-blowing’ review from spy at Barcelona shakedown

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There’s a lot of pressure on Ferrari to deliver a fast car to both of their drivers during the 2026 Formula 1 season.

It could be their last chance to prove themselves before some sweeping changes are introduced in a bid to improve their chances of winning the drivers’ championship.

Charles Leclerc has shown unwavering loyalty to the Scuderia since joining them in 2019, and his efforts have deserved at least a few cracks at a title.

Ferrari’s world-class signing of Lewis Hamilton in 2025 was meant to be a statement of intent to their rivals, but so far, it has been a miserable ordeal. Now is the time to turn it around.

What does Fred Vasseur need to do to stay at Ferrari beyond 2026?

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Ferrari are gambling on a ‘special talent’ to be the race engineer of their seven-time champion for the 2026 F1 regulations. Change was required, and this is just the start.

Fred Vasseur’s future ‘depends’ on winning the 2026 title, which means that he’s going to be under some intense scrutiny over the next 12 months. The atmosphere could be very different in the red garage.

READ MORE: Ferrari’s ‘curiously calm’ approach to 2026 F1 engine saga and why it may worry Red Bull

Ferrari’s 2026 F1 engine receives ‘mind-blowing’ review from Barcelona spy

F1 fans were excited by Hamilton’s ‘menacing’ onboard after seeing it for the very first time last week, when they rolled their car out in Fiorano.

The Italian outfit have adopted a new livery scheme this year, adorning a lot more white than has been seen over the last few seasons. The SF-26 seems to resemble the SF16-H from 2016.

Hamilton has been staying at Ferrari’s factory in a bid to be as present as possible around their efforts and put them in the best possible position heading into the new campaign.

Already, there have been some positive signs. Jorge Peiro, in Barcelona to try and catch a glimpse of the new cars, has given Ferrari’s new engine a ‘mind-blowing’ review on X.

“No matter what happens today, the best part of the day is hearing the Ferrari,” he said. “It’s mind-blowing how it sounds. We confirm that these engines roar much more than last year. My favourite engine.”

READ MORE: McLaren and Ferrari risking a big mistake at the Barcelona shakedown test if they do not copy Alpine

What has happened to Ferrari at the first test of the 2026 F1 season so far?

Ferrari were actually one of just four teams who took the bold decision not to run their car on the first official day of 2026 testing in Barcelona, despite a gloomy weather forecast for the week ahead.

McLaren also opted against running, while Williams and Aston Martin were not ready to field cars. The former will miss the entire private test altogether.

So now Ferrari must run three times over the next four days, potentially organising their schedule around rain and poor weather.

Hamilton expects a ‘massive challenge’ in 2026, and this could be his last go at winning a record eighth title. The next few months will reveal a lot about whether he can still do it.