Ferrari's new car: will Hamilton's troubles end?

Shortly before the first official tests, Ferrari presented the new SF-26 car, and Hamilton did a few laps with it on the Fiorano track magazin de piese auto online.

Ferrari's new car: will Hamilton's troubles end?

Red Bull, Audi and Mercedes have already presented their cars, and just before the start of the first tests in Barcelona, Ferrari is also showing off its new red beauty, which should end Lewis Hamilton's black streak and finally please the fans.

The new SF-26 was first revealed in renders, and shortly afterwards, Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc took their first laps of the race car at their home circuit in Fiorano. After finishing fourth last year, Ferrari will now be looking to do better – and they will be relying heavily on the new car to do so.

Team boss Frederic Vasseur has been focused on the 2026 season since last season. Development of the old car was deliberately frozen and all the team's efforts were thrown towards the new season and the new regulations. If the plan does not work, the situation in Maranello will become quite tense.

SF-26 in lighter red

The SF-26 will certainly retain its red color, but the shade is now a bit lighter. In addition, there is now a large white area around the cockpit, which will also be on the team's equipment.

Under the hood, significant modifications have been made to meet the new regulations. Ferrari is taking a unique approach to the engine, reportedly using new materials for the cylinder heads (steel instead of aluminum) to allow for higher temperatures and more efficient combustion.

In terms of chassis, Ferrari is following the trend in the field: Pushrod suspension is now used on the front axle. The aim is to achieve clean airflow under the body - a topic that will once again become key in 2026.

Serrated engine cover

The SF-26 is characterized by a number of striking details: an extremely short nose, flat front wing end elements, compact side boxes with curves that, when viewed from above, appear wider compared to the Mercedes' extremely tapered rear end.

As a visual highlight, the engine cover has a serrated profile. Ferrari also takes a unique approach at the rear, where the wing appears more ridged and has an unusual shape.

Vasseur, however, is adamant that this is just the beginning. The car for Barcelona was an initial version; more significant modifications are expected by the start of the season at the latest.

At least the performance at Fiorano was a success: Lewis Hamilton was the first of Ferrari's two stars to complete a lap of the Scuderia's own track without any problems.

Car parts AutoPower
Car parts AutoPower

Red Bull, Audi and Mercedes have already presented their cars, and just before the start of the first tests in Barcelona, Ferrari is also showing off its new red beauty, which should end Lewis Hamilton's black streak and finally please the fans

The new SF-26 was first revealed in renders, and shortly afterwards, Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc took their first laps of the race car at their home circuit in Fiorano