Ferrari will kick off a new era by unveiling its 2026 Formula 1 car on Friday, January 23, just ahead of the private test with all 11 teams at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, home of the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Italian team has not yet confirmed the name of the new chassis, and it will reveal it during the launch. On the same day, the Scuderia will also conduct a shakedown at the Fiorano Circuit, aiming to move past a disappointing 2025 season with the SF-25.
Team principal Fred Vasseur announced the launch date during Ferrari’s end-of-season press briefing with international media.
The 2026 season represents a fresh start for Ferrari, thanks to sweeping changes in power unit and chassis regulations. For Lewis Hamilton, it is also a chance to rebound after a tough first season in red: while Charles Leclerc secured seven podiums, Hamilton finished the year without ever reaching the podium, setting a record for the longest podium drought for a Ferrari driver at the start of their tenure, surpassing Didier Pironi.
Pressure will be high not only on the British driver but also on Vasseur, tasked with proving that Ferrari can return to the front. After narrowly missing out on the constructors’ championship in 2024 – the team’s first real shot since 2008 – the drop in performance in 2025 intensified scrutiny on the leadership. Vasseur revealed that aerodynamic development on the SF-25 stopped in April, contributing to the car’s decline relative to Red Bull and Mercedes and ultimately leaving Ferrari fourth in the constructors’ standings.
With 2026 bringing a host of unknowns, however, Ferrari has a historic opportunity. The new regulations could allow the team to get ahead of its rivals, replicating the advantage it achieved in 2022 at the start of the current ground-effect era. All eyes will be on Hamilton, Vasseur, and the new car as Maranello aims to return to the top of Formula 1.