F1 | Ferrari to focus on reliability in 2026 Barcelona tests
Fred Vasseur has revealed Ferrari’s plans for the January 2026 tests in Barcelona. At the Montmelò, we will see many “A-spec” cars, which will then evolve in the Sakhir tests, taking advantage of the nine days of testing before the start of the championship.
The start of the 2026 season
The 2026 season will kick off with collective test sessions organized by the teams at the Circuit de Catalunya from January 26 to 30. Teams that have already officially revealed their livery by then can use it; otherwise, the cars will run in ‘camouflage’ versions. Beyond the paint schemes, the shapes of the cars will capture attention during this first collective outing of the new technical cycle.
Chassis strategy and evolution
It seems unlikely that the bodies used in Barcelona will be the same as those we will see in Bahrain. In 2022, Mercedes ran the first tests at Montmelò with a provisional version of the W13, then debuted the famous ‘zeropods’ in Bahrain—a technical exercise that ultimately did not deliver success. It is highly probable that other teams will adopt a similar approach next January, as Frederic Vasseur explained during a media briefing in Maranello this week.
“On the eve of such a radical technical change, the most important aspect is to cover mileage. In the early phase, chasing performance is not the priority. Being able to log kilometers allows us to validate technical choices in terms of reliability, and once this process is complete, we can move on to performance,” Fred Vasseur said. “That said, I don’t believe we’ll see ‘mule cars’ in Barcelona, but let’s say an A-spec version, followed immediately by others.”
Reliability first, performance later
Simulations over the last decade have enabled huge advances in power unit development, but when dealing with new designs, reliability remains a priority. Covering as many kilometers as possible ensures mechanical and engine confidence, even without the final aerodynamic bodywork.
The two weeks between the Barcelona and Bahrain tests are crucial for wind tunnel teams, providing ten days to apply final tweaks to the bodywork that will appear in Bahrain.
“The first goal in a season like this is reliability,” Fred Vasseur added. “Ten or fifteen years ago, in the early races, there was a huge percentage of retirements, so it’s essential to cover as much distance as possible. The first focus in Barcelona will be to evaluate reliability and be ready to identify any areas that may require improvement or intervention. If a problem arises in Bahrain, there wouldn’t be enough time to react before heading to Australia.”
In summary, Ferrari and Team Principal Fred Vasseur are adopting a pragmatic approach to the 2026 F1 season by prioritizing mechanical reliability over outright pace during the initial Barcelona tests. By debuting an “A-spec” car designed to accumulate maximum mileage, the team aims to identify and fix potential failures early, leaving the search for performance to the final pre-season sessions in Bahrain. This strategy reflects the complexity of the new 2026 regulations, where finishing the first few races of the year could be just as decisive as having the fastest car on the grid.
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