Ferrari 2026 Preview: The year of redemption?
- Caitlyn Gordon
- Feb 28
- 4 min read
Written by Caitlyn Gordon, Edited by Meghana Sree
As we count down to Formula One's 2026 season opener, our F1 writers preview each team's potential, expectations and goals ahead of the start of a new regulatory era for the sport. Ferrari had heads turning during pre-season testing with strong reliability and technical innovations that fascinated the grid, but can they keep up the momentum throughout the season and finally redeem themselves at the top?
The 2025 season was plagued with disappointment for Ferrari, as the team suffered its first winless season since 2020. The subsequent lack of results meant the team dropped to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, a huge blow to the team who narrowly missed out on the Constructors' title by just 14 points back in 2024.
A major setback for the team took place in China, only three rounds into the season. After a day of celebrations on Saturday for Lewis Hamilton’s sprint victory, the happiness turned sour the following day with both drivers getting disqualified in the main race. Charles Leclerc had locked in a fifth place finish with Hamilton just behind in sixth.
However, in post-race inspections, it was found Leclerc’s car was under the minimum weight while Hamilton’s was in breach of the technical regulations, ultimately meaning they were both disqualified from the race. Subsequently, the team lost 18 crucial points.
As the season progressed, it quickly became a tough watch as the seven-time world champion issued debilitating statements, such as after qualifying last for the Las Vegas Grand Prix: "It's been the worst season ever and no matter how much I try, it just keeps getting worse.”
The season concluded with Leclerc and Hamilton in fifth and sixth respectively in the Drivers’ standings. But the deficit between the pair was staggering, with the Briton 86-points behind Leclerc.
The drivers: The strongest pairing on the grid?
Hamilton joined Ferrari looking to chase the elusive eight-world championship, but after a winless season and confidence issues, his season ended bitterly. While there are some positives to take with the China sprint victory, the Briton will quickly want to move on from the difficult season. Hamilton has also received a new race engineer, after the Briton’s strained relationship with Riccardo Adami that caused speculation about communication issues between the pair.
Leclerc on the other hand had a slightly more positive season, securing seven podiums throughout, with his best finish of second place in Mexico. However, the season was equally disappointing for the Monégasque driver, who had a couple of incidents throughout the season which resulted in DNFs, notably in Zandvoort and Brazil.
Despite the struggles and setbacks the pair faced in 2025, Ferrari still has arguably one of the strongest driver lineups on the grid. With the hope ignited during pre-season testing heading into 2026, could the full potential of the pair be unlocked?
What we learned from testing
Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel at Bahrain for the second week of testing. Photo credits: Formula One
As testing concluded a pattern started emerging as Ferrari stole the headlines. While the first week of testing was positive for the Prancing Horse, it wasn’t until the second test where they debuted new technical innovations that they really shined. The first change became noticeable on Day 1, as Leclerc rolled out the garage with a ‘blown’ winglet. Upon closer inspection, the diffuser was connected to the rear-wing, keeping it mounted at all times.
The change significantly enhances the air flow through the back of the car, keeping the car closer to the ground and increasing downforce. After teams questioned its legality, Ferrari confirmed it had received approval from the FIA. If the team decide to bring the innovation to any of the rounds, it would give the team an edge as it would be almost impossible for teams to copy the design without having to reconstruct their cars.
Leclerc topped the morning session that day with a 1:33.739, and the following day, it was Hamilton’s turn to stun the paddock, this time with an inverted rear-wing. While on first glance, nothing seemed different, as soon as the Briton switched into straight mode the invention was revealed.
While the other 10 teams opted for their rear flap to go flat to reduce drag down the straights, Ferrari’s instead rotated in a 180-degree angle. The gap this creates reduces drag. While this concept is a lot easier for teams to copy, Fred Vasseur was keeping cards close to his chest, stating that the team may not have the design come lights out in Melbourne.
Day 2 was a more quiet affair for Ferrari as Hamilton only flashed the rear-wing design for five laps before retreating to the garage where the team put the curtain up. He later returned in the afternoon to simulate race runs where he found a lap time that placed his SF-26 fourth overall with a 1:34.408.
Leclerc brought a close to Ferrari’s test on Day 3 concluding the day with 132 laps under his belt. The Monégasque driver topped the morning session in the closing minutes, before improving his time in the afternoon to finish the test on top with a 1:31.992, the quickest lap time of the entire Bahrain test.
Team expectations for 2026
After a strong outing in testing, the team will look to bounce back in 2026 by starting on strong footing. With the new regulations providing a clean slate for the pecking order, Ferrari will hope to come out on top and chase their 17th Constructors’ Championship.
Ferrari placed all its focus onto the 2026 season, which significantly hindered its 2025 season. After Hamilton’s sobering assessment late last year that he “wasn’t looking forward” to next season, testing brings a beacon of hope to the Scuderia.
As Ferrari roll out in Melbourne, they will hope to carry the momentum from testing into the race weekend and the season in its entirety, where the full potential of the cars will be revealed.
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