Ferrari SF-26: What we’re hearing about Ferrari’s F1 2026 car

The Ferrari SF-26, the car to be driven by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in the F1 2026 season, will be launched on Friday January 23.

What to expect from the new Ferrari? Here’s a rundown of everything we’re hearing about the 2026 car ahead of the team’s presentation…

What are the rumoured Ferrari SF-26 design details?

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Ferrari SF-26 chassis

Ferrari’s status and popularity means a number of design details related to the SF-26 have found their way out of Maranello over recent months.

It emerged last November that Ferrari is to have a pushrod suspension at the front and rear of the SF-26.

If true, this would make the SF-26 the first Ferrari F1 car since the F10 – driven in competition by Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in 2010 – to have a pushrod suspension at the rear.

A double-pushrod suspension has been appeared on the Audi, Red Bull and Racing Bulls cars so far in launch season, pointing to an early 2026 development trend among the teams.

The move to a double-pushrod layout has been facilitated by the move away from ground-effect machinery, and to a smaller diffuser compared to the previous-generation cars, for 2026.

A pushrod suspension is thought to offer more predictable and reliable handling than the pullrod alternative, as well as providing easier access for setup changes.

A pushrod solution is also expected to offer an advantage in terms of the packaging of the complex new power units for F1 2026.

Ferrari SF-26 engine

The rumours of the pullrod suspension last year came hot on the heels of an exciting development of the engine front.

Ferrari is thought to have developed steel cylinder heads for its 2026 engine in what is believed to be an F1 first.

Aluminium has until now been regarded as the material of choice for cylinder-head construction due to its relatively light weight.

With the minimum weight of the power unit increasing from 120 to 150 kilograms for F1 2026, however, it is thought that engineers no longer deem extreme-lightweight construction to be a crucial consideration with engine design.

Despite the heavier weight, it is hoped that the steel cylinder heads will result in more efficient combustion, which could prove a key factor under the new rules in 2026.

Reports have suggested that Ferrari has witnessed unprecedented temperatures and pressures during the ignition process with the steel cylinder heads.

It was claimed last autumn that Ferrari had decided to develop aluminium cylinder heads in parallel as a precaution after identifying reliability concerns with the steel version.

However, a reported breakthrough in the durability of the steel cylinder heads – allegedly with the help of Austrian engine specialist AVL – has convinced Ferrari to press ahead with the new material.

The steel cylinder heads are thought to have been pioneered by Wolf Zimmermann, who has served as Ferrari’s head of ICE (internal combustion engine) research and development since 2014.

Zimmermann and his deputy, Lars Schmidt, are both expected to leave Ferrari and join the Audi F1 team – fronted by former Ferrari team principal and renowned engine guru Mattia Binotto – this year.

Further paddock whispers claim that Ferrari has developed a new high-tech battery – thought to be lighter and more compact – for 2026 with the new engine also requiring smaller radiators than its predecessor.

If true, both developments will bring an advantage in terms of the car’s packaging.

Who will drive the Ferrari SF-26?

The Ferrari SF-26 will be driven by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

The F1 2026 season marks Leclerc’s eighth full season with Ferrari having joined the team in 2019.

Leclerc, 28, has collected eight victories over the course of his Ferrari career with his most recent win occurring at the 2024 United States Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to race for Ferrari in F1 2026

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Hamilton, meanwhile, is preparing for his second full season with Ferrari following his high-profile move from Mercedes at the start of 2025.

The seven-time world champion, 41, suffered the worst season of his career in 2025, failing to score a podium across a campaign for the first time.

Hamilton will work with a new race engineer in F1 2026 after his 2025 engineer, Riccardo Adami, was moved to a new role.

Ferrari is yet to announce Adami’s replacement at the time of writing, with the team unable to confirm whether the new man will be an internal promotion or an external hire from another team when contacted by PlanetF1.com.

Who has designed the Ferrari SF-26?

Loic Serra, technical director chassis, has led the development of the Ferrari SF-26.

Ferrari announced the signing of Serra from Mercedes in May 2024 with the Frenchman making the move in October that year, stepping into the shoes of Aston Martin-bound technical director Enrico Cardile.

Serra arrived at Maranello at a stage when the development of Ferrari’s 2025 car was advanced, limiting his influence on the design of the winless SF-25.

Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, regularly stressed this point when defending Serra from criticism during the team’s frustrating 2025 campaign.

More than a year after arriving at Maranello, and with new technical regulations to play with, expect the SF-26 to be regarded as Serra’s first real Ferrari design.

The 2026 season marks a rare instance of the chassis and engine regulations – including a move to 50 per cent electrification, fully sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics – being overhauled simultaneously.

The development of Ferrari’s new power unit is being led by Enrico Gualtieri, who was appointed technical director power unit in 2023.

Gualtieri has been at Ferrari since graduating from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in 2003.

He has risen through the ranks at Ferrari having served as head of engine reliability, head of PU project management and head of the power unit area since 2010 before landing his current role.

When will the Ferrari SF-26 be launched?

The Ferrari SF-26 will be officially launched on Friday January 23.

The launch of the team’s 2026 car comes three days before the start of F1’s first pre-season test in Barcelona, which is being held behind closed doors.

Ferrari has traditionally followed the launch of a new car with a shakedown at the team’s Fiorano test track, located close to its Maranello factory.

It is expected that Leclerc and Hamilton will both get a first taste of the Ferrari SF-26 at Fiorano on Friday before travelling to Barcelona ahead of the first official winter test.

What will the Ferrari SF-26 livery look like?

The drivers’ race suits usually offer a good indication of what the Ferrari livery will look like.

This year’s overalls carry a brighter shade of red than the 2025 version with white also more prominent on the new race suits for Leclerc and Hamilton.

These changes are consistent with reports surrounding the Ferrari SF-26 livery.

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