Ferrari Bets SF-26 on 2026 Regs, In-House Power

Ferrari unveiled the SF-26 at its Fiorano base in a 10:30 GMT livestream, releasing digital images ahead of the rollout. Drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton attended, and the car undertook initial laps at Fiorano later that day; Barcelona pre-season testing is scheduled to begin three days later. The timing was intended to give Ferrari early on-track data ahead of the formal test program after the team paused SF-25 development to concentrate resources on a clean-sheet 2026 challenger.

The 2026 regulations bring a new power-unit architecture and a revised aerodynamic philosophy, which Ferrari described as a rare opportunity to end an almost 20-year constructors’ title drought and return to drivers’ title contention. Team leaders pointed to the move to an in-house power unit and a reorganized technical leadership under Loïc Serra as potential long-term advantages, while stressing that eliminating past operational lapses will be critical to turning potential into results. Leaks and reporting around the launch suggested a return to pushrod suspension at both ends (including possible double-pushrod geometry) and experimentation with steel cylinder heads for the new power unit; those technical details remained unconfirmed at the official presentation.

Against a backdrop of a disappointing 2025 season—Ferrari finished fourth in the constructors’ standings with no wins—the launch combined a new livery, an on-track shakedown and an operational message of renewed focus. Charles Leclerc, signed through at least 2026, outperformed his team-mate in 2025, while Lewis Hamilton recorded his first season without a podium after moving from Mercedes, leaving both drivers under pressure to deliver. The Fiorano shakedown and upcoming Barcelona tests will be the first practical measures of whether Ferrari’s technical and organizational changes translate into a genuine step forward on track.