Ferrari has focused its SF-26 development on improving energy recovery and deployment, rebalancing aerodynamics — most notably the experimental rotating “Macarena” rear wing — and cutting weight. The team has formally asked the FIA to lift the ban on testing current cars during the April break; the request pits Ferrari against rivals and the governing body and would affect how teams can develop cars during enforced calendar gaps. Ferrari believes Suzuka’s characteristics could better suit the SF-26’s energy traits and produce a strong result before the month-long midseason pause prompted by the canceled Bahrain and Jeddah races.

Engine and energy-recovery work is a priority at Maranello. Enrico Gualtieri’s group is developing the 067/6 power unit while engineers optimize how the SF-26 harvests and deploys electrical energy, targeting slow corners and transitions and trialing lower gears to keep revs higher and extract more charge. Ferrari says any turbo advantage has been negated by weak energy management and a traction deficit that costs time through corners. By contrast, Mercedes’s W17 runs a Brixworth-built V6 with stronger high-end power and a fuel-to-battery recharge approach — reports suggest a very high compression ratio (above 16:1) — that helps on long straights and in straight-line energy deployment.

Aerodynamic work centers on the Macarena device and an overall balance reset. Drivers reported instability when the Macarena closed under braking in Shanghai, so teams have adjusted opening/closing timing, front-flap settings and actuator layout. The wing delivers straight-line gains when open but adds weight and introduces balance trade-offs. Ferrari has also introduced front-wing updates and may reinstall a revised Halo windscreen fin as part of the package. The SF-26 remains several kilograms over its target mass; engineers are targeting roughly a 6–7 kg reduction. Suzuka’s newly resurfaced track and typically cooler, potentially wet conditions will be a key proving ground to assess whether the combined power-unit, aerodynamic and weight changes can close the gap to Mercedes before the midseason break.

Sources