Ferrari has rolled the covers off its 2026 challenger, the SF26, firing the starting gun on what could prove to be one of the most consequential seasons in recent Scuderia history.
Revealed in a slick short video ahead of its first on-track outing, the new car represents far more than a fresh coat of red paint – it is Ferrari’s statement of intent for Formula 1’s bold new era.
As tradition dictates, Maranello has stayed loyal to its long-established launch format. The SF26 was unveiled on the same day it is due to complete its shakedown at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc present to turn the first laps of the team’s all-new war horse.
Resetting After a Painful Campaign
The SF26 arrives with unfinished business written all over it. Ferrari heads into 2026 determined to erase the memory of a bruising previous season, one that saw the team slide to fourth in the constructors’ championship after struggling to keep pace with its rivals.
Much of the spotlight fell on Hamilton’s difficult first year in red. For the first time in his illustrious career, the seven-time world champion failed to score a grand prix podium, as he wrestled with adapting to Ferrari’s environment and machinery.
©Ferrari
That left Leclerc carrying the bulk of the team’s fight, delivering seven podium finishes and ending the year fifth in the drivers’ standings — just one place ahead of his new team-mate.
Now, Ferrari is betting that a clean-sheet design and a ruthless development philosophy can reignite both sides of its driver line-up.
An Aggressive Build for a New Era
Under the management of team boss Fred Vasseur, Ferrari has left little to chance in its preparation.
The SF26 has been shaped by what insiders describe as an “aggressive” development approach, with final assembly only completed on the eve of its launch and shakedown — a reflection of how far the team has pushed its timelines in pursuit of performance.
That intensity has been brewing for months. Ferrari was among the first teams to fully pivot its aerodynamic resources toward the 2026 regulations, making the switch as early as April in a bid to gain an early foothold in the new technical landscape.
"This car is the result of a great team effort and marks the beginning of a completely new journey, built around different regulations that see everyone facing an extremely intriguing challenge," commented Vasseur.
The pressure, however, is immense. With expectation at a fever pitch, the coming season is widely viewed as make-or-break – not just for Ferrari’s championship ambitions, but for Hamilton’s blockbuster move to Maranello, made 12 months ago with the promise of one final title charge.
Adding another layer of intrigue, Hamilton heads into the new campaign without a confirmed race engineer, following news last week that Riccardo Adami will step aside from the role to take up a new position within Ferrari’s young driver programme.
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The SF26’s Fiorano shakedown is only the opening act. Attention will quickly turn to next week’s private running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where teams will begin their serious preparation for the season ahead.
From 26–30 January, each outfit will be permitted three days of running as the 2026 cars finally stretch their legs in anger.
For Ferrari, it’s the first real opportunity to discover whether the SF26 can live up to its promise – and whether this carefully crafted reset can finally deliver the resurgence the Scuderia, and its drivers, are desperately chasing.
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