Ferrari launch: Lewis Hamilton says 2026 F1 season ‘a big challenge’

The 41-year-old Briton added: “The 2026 season represents a great challenge for everyone, and perhaps the biggest change in systems I have witnessed in my career.

“When a new era begins, everything is about developing and growing as a team and moving forward in the same direction.”

Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc said: “The 2026 regulations require a higher level of preparation, especially for us drivers. There are many new systems to understand and improve, which is why we have been heavily involved from the early stages of the project’s development.”

“Energy management and the power unit will be among the most important aspects – a fantastic challenge that will require us drivers to adapt quickly, relying more on instinct at first, and then increasingly on precise data.”

The new SF-26 ran for the first time at Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit on Friday, before heading to the first pre-season test, which will be held privately at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit in Spain next week.

No independent media is allowed at the Test and teams can run for a maximum of three of the five days.

Ferrari technical director Loic Serra said: “We devoted a significant amount of time to the concept phase in order to absorb as much of the new organizational and technical context as possible.

“We also had to ensure that the car’s architecture would allow us enough flexibility to develop during the season. In this environment, efficiency and integration of features such as active aerodynamics are crucial.”