F1: Hamilton and Leclerc get their first taste of Ferrari’s SF-26 race car

The cars are smaller, lighter, and feature a 50:50 split between electric and petrol power.

The Italian team opted not to run on the first day of the shakedown test in Barcelona, taking extra time to develop the SF-26.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scuderia Ferrari HP (@scuderiaferrari)

Hamilton put the first kilometres onto the 2026 machine before Leclerc took over driving duties.

Design: Is the SF-26 Red Enough?

We’ll allow you to decide whether the 2026 car represents what a Ferrari F1 machine should look like. Here’s what they said: “One of the most distinctive features is the return to gloss paint, after seven seasons of matte finish. The 2026 Rosso Scuderia colour is brighter and more intense.” Ferrari says this colour was used on its car in the 2000 F1 season.

However, many fans commented that the design could do with less white paint. The SF-26’s cockpit area and engine cover are covered in the hue.

The car’s design is heavily influenced by the new regulations. For 2026, ‘the chassis abandons ground-effect aerodynamics in favour of a different approach’,

The overall philosophy is more focused on cleaner lines to reduce weight and improve efficiency, Ferrari says.

“The power unit is also a major step forward: a new hybrid generation, eliminating the MGU-H and boosting the MGU-K to 350 kW.”

More Emphasis on the Driver

Leclerc alluded to the pressure placed on the drivers to adapt to the changes for the 2026 cars: “Energy management and the power unit will be among the most significant aspects – a fascinating challenge which will require us drivers to adapt quickly, relying more on instinct to begin with, and then increasingly on precise data.”

“It will be an extremely important year from a technical perspective, with the driver playing a central role in energy management, understanding the new systems, and contributing to the car’s development”, Hamilton said.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Scuderia Ferrari HP (@scuderiaferrari)

Testing in Barcelona and Then Onto Bahrain

The team will run the car in Barcelona before two sessions in Bahrain from February 11 to 13 at the Bahrain International Circuit. Finally, the last pre-season test will kick off from February 18 to 20.

Ferrari said the testing sessions in Barcelona and Bahrain will focus on understanding the car on track. “In a completely new technical context for everyone, Ferrari’s approach will remain the same as ever: methodical work, attention to detail, and thorough data analysis, aimed at making controlled and solid progress”, the team said.