Ferrari SF-26 livery
Photo by: Ferrari
Ferrari has become the latest Formula 1 team to unveil its 2026 car, the SF-26, ahead of a shakedown at its Fiorano test track.
As detailed last month, the Italian team has stuck to its traditional launch plan of revealing its new car on the same day as its shakedown at Fiorano, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on hand to complete the first laps of Ferrari’s 2026 challenger.
The Scuderia is aiming to bounce back from a disappointing 2026 campaign, in which it slumped to fourth in the constructors’ standings, with the main focus of its season being Hamilton’s struggle to adapt to Ferrari as he failed to pick up a grand prix podium for the first time in his career.
That left Leclerc to lead the fight for Ferrari, who took seven rostrums across the year, to finish in fifth place in the drivers’ championship – just one spot ahead of Hamilton.
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur set an “aggressive” approach to development of the 2026 F1 car, with final assembly planned to be completed on the eve of the launch and shakedown.
Ferrari SF-26 livery
Photo by: Ferrari
It follows a similarly ultra-focused preparation for the new F1 era, having been one of the first teams to switch its entire aerodynamic development to its 2026 car back in April.
With the weight of expectation at an all-time high, it means it is set to be a make-or-break season for Ferrari and for Hamilton, who made the bold move to the iconic Italian squad 12 months ago.
Hamilton heads into the new F1 season without the identity of his race engineer announced, after last week’s news that Riccardo Adami will no longer serve in that role as he takes up a new position in Ferrari’s young driver programme.
Ferrari has become the fifth team to show off its F1 car for the new regulations era, after Red Bull and Racing Bulls kicked off launch season last week at Ford’s Detroit facility. Haas revealed its car in an online launch on Monday, which was followed by Audi’s Berlin launch on Tuesday and Mercedes’ renders launch and shakedown on Thursday. Honda has also launched its power unit in Tokyo earlier this week.
All teams are ramping up preparations for the private Barcelona shakedown which is running next week (26-30 January), when each team will be allowed to run for three of the five days at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Ferrari SF-26 livery
Photo by: Ferrari
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- The Autosport.com Team
Source: Autosport