Ferrari makes Project 678 announcement ahead of F1 2026 car launch

Ferrari has announced that its new car for the F1 2026 season, driven by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, will be officially named the SF-26.

It comes ahead of the launch of the team’s 2026 machine later this month.

Ferrari confirms SF-26 car name for F1 2026 season

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After narrowly missing out on the 2024 constructors’ title, Ferrari suffered a disastrous 2025 season.

The Scuderia failed to win a race over the course of last season – the team’s third winless campaign of the 2020s and its first since 2021 – en route to a distant fourth place in the constructors’ standings.

Leclerc was restricted to just seven podium finishes behind the wheel of the SF-25 car, which was hamstrung by a season-long issue with its ride height.

Meanwhile, Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, failed to register a podium across a season for the first time in his illustrious career.

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Formula 1’s technical regulations have been overhauled for the new season as the sport embraces 50 per cent electrification, fully sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics.

Ferrari is set to launch its 2026 car on January 23, three days before the first pre-season test of 2026 begins behind closed doors in Barcelona.

And the Italian team has confirmed that the car – up to now known only as Project 678 – will be called the SF-26, following the trend of recent Ferrari F1 cars.

A number of rumoured design details have already emerged regarding the SF-26 ahead of the car’s official launch.

The car is expected to feature a pushrod suspension at both the front and rear of the car, making the SF-26 the first Ferrari F1 car since 2010 to have a pushrod suspension at the rear.

The move to a double pushrod suspension – also thought to have been pursued by Red Bull with its new RB22 – is expected to bring a number of benefits under the new rules, especially with the packaging of the complex new power unit.

As reported by PlanetF1.com on Monday, meanwhile, Ferrari is also rumoured to be working on what has been described as ‘revolutionary’ and ‘highly innovative’ new engine for F1 2026.

As well as a ‘top-secret’ intake system, the 2026 Ferrari engine is expected to include steel alloy cylinder heads.

Aluminum has until now been regarded as the material of choice for cylinder head construction due to its light weight, with Ferrari reportedly developing steel cylinder heads in parallel last year.

Concerns over the reliability of the steel solution had reportedly swayed Ferrari towards the traditional design at one stage.

However, a breakthrough with the durability of the steel cylinder heads – seemingly with the assistance of Austrian engine specialist AVL – over recent months has convinced the team to press ahead with the new solution for 2026.

Despite being heavier than the aluminum version, the steel cylinder heads are expected to provide a considerable benefit.

Ferrari is believed to have seen found unprecedented pressures and temperatures during the ignition process, leading to more efficient combustion – set to be an important factor in 2026.

Ferrari is also said to be working on a new high-tech battery, thought to be lighter and more compact than previous versions, and smaller radiators for with its 2026 engine.

Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari team principal, confirmed last month that Ferrari will effectively produce two different versions of the SF-26 for pre-season testing.

A launch-spec version of the SF-26 is set to appear at the first test in Barcelona as Ferrari prioritises mileage and reliability and verifying design choices like engine packaging.

Ferrari will then produce a B-spec car for the remaining two tests in Bahrain in February as attention turns to performance ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8.

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