Scuderia Ferrari is preparing intensively for the launch of Project 678 at Fiorano and for the important pre-season testing scheduled in Barcelona at the end of the month. Earlier today, through a post on its official social media accounts, the Italian side also revealed the name of its 2026 Formula 1 car.
In Spain, Ferrari will already run what can be considered a “proper” car, very close to its definitive specification, missing only the final aerodynamic package that is expected to appear on the last day of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. From a technical point of view, this means that most of the fundamental design choices will already be visible. Among these, particular attention has been drawn to the power unit featuring a steel-alloy cylinder head, a solution that, according to Ferrari engineers, does not suffer from significant weight differences compared to a more traditional aluminium version. There are clear and well-founded technical reasons behind this choice, which are rooted in both materials science and modern manufacturing processes.
Ferrari’s Racing Department reopened on January 2 after the mandatory shutdown imposed by the FIA for the Christmas and New Year holidays. As soon as the doors of the Maranello facilities reopened, work immediately intensified, with engineers, mechanics and technicians operating at a frenetic pace. The objective is to complete the preparation of the SF-26, the car that will be officially presented at Fiorano on January 23. After its debut, the car will then take part in the Barcelona tests organised directly by the teams, which will be held behind closed doors from January 26 to January 30. Under the agreed framework, each team will be allowed to choose three days of running from the five days scheduled, making careful planning essential to maximise track time and data collection.
On the same day as the launch at Fiorano, the Prancing Horse team will also take advantage of the 15-kilometre shakedown granted by the FIA. This limited run is designed solely to verify that all systems are functioning correctly, from the power unit to the hydraulics, electronics and gearbox, before the equipment is rapidly dismantled and shipped to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The extremely tight preparation schedules that now characterise modern Formula 1 force teams to work at a very different pace compared to previous seasons, with parallel workflows and highly optimised production timelines becoming the norm.
Some teams on the grid have already completed the first fire-up of their new power units once installed in the chassis, an important milestone in the build-up to the season. At the same time, in Maranello Ferrari may currently be assembling two monocoques almost in parallel. This has been made possible because Ferrari was one of the first teams to successfully pass the homologation crash tests required by the FIA. Having multiple chassis ready at an early stage provides a strategic advantage, allowing the team to accelerate testing and reduce risks associated with potential issues. The immediate goal is to carry out a series of tests with the complete car on the dynamic test bench, a sophisticated facility where engineers can obtain an initial evaluation of the functionality and interaction of all systems under simulated racing conditions.
Meanwhile, the aerodynamic department led by Diego Tondi has finalised the standard configuration with which the SF-26 will take to the track in Barcelona. This configuration represents the baseline from which all subsequent aerodynamic developments will evolve. The Spanish test is considered primarily a functional shakedown, aimed at verifying that all design parameters defined during the long development phase have been correctly respected. A crucial aspect will be the correct operation of the active aerodynamics system, which will make its debut on the front of the car. Engineers will closely monitor whether this system behaves according to the required specifications and integrates seamlessly with the rest of the aerodynamic package.
The power unit itself, together with the electronic control systems responsible for managing the highly complex interaction between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, will be among the main aspects to monitor during these early tests. The complexity of modern hybrid Formula 1 power units means that software calibration, energy deployment strategies and reliability checks are just as important as outright performance. Alongside this, the collection of aerodynamic data will be essential, as correlation between wind tunnel simulations, computational fluid dynamics models and on-track measurements remains one of the key challenges in contemporary Formula 1 engineering.
In Catalunya, the Maranello engineers will also need to assess the car’s overall behaviour with the new Pirelli tyres. While they remain 18 inches in diameter, as mandated by the regulations, they are slightly narrower, introducing subtle but important changes in mechanical grip, tyre deformation and operating windows. Understanding how the car interacts with these tyres will be crucial, especially in terms of suspension setup, ride height sensitivity and tyre management over longer runs. In short, Ferrari will run a relatively “raw” car, but not excessively so, because the team needs meaningful and representative data to support development work and to evaluate the overall technical direction of the project.
As will be the case for all teams, Ferrari will then evolve the car further during the two official FIA tests in Bahrain, scheduled for February 11 to 13 and February 18 to 20. Development work in the wind tunnel continues until the latest possible moment that still allows enough time for the production of spare parts and updated components to be shipped to Australia for the opening race of the season. The aerodynamic package planned specifically for Melbourne will most likely appear on the penultimate or final day of testing in Sakhir. However, it would be an exaggeration to speak of an A and B version of the SF-26, especially when considering the strict constraints imposed by the budget cap. These financial limits heavily influence development choices, particularly for teams like Ferrari that aim to push the car’s evolution as far into the season as possible without compromising long-term performance.
The discussion surrounding engines is even more delicate and complex, given that Ferrari must also supply power units to Haas and Cadillac, its two customer teams. This means that any design decision must balance performance, reliability and manufacturability across multiple cars. Some observers within the Formula 1 paddock have questioned whether Ferrari really opted for a cylinder head made from a steel alloy instead of the more traditional aluminium, suggesting that such a choice could introduce unwanted weight penalties or packaging challenges.
According to sources close to the technical project, the weight difference associated with the steel-alloy cylinder head is not significant. First of all, steel in this context is not a simple or conventional material, but rather the base of a complex alloy that includes many different elements, some of which are very light. The final properties of the alloy are therefore carefully tuned to meet specific performance targets. Secondly, Ferrari has for years developed advanced additive manufacturing systems in collaboration with Renishaw, using metal powder bed fusion technology to produce components directly from CAD files. This approach allows engineers to optimise material distribution with extreme precision.
The parts manufactured in Maranello using these additive techniques feature highly complex geometries and extremely thin walls, characteristics that would be very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve using more traditional production methods such as casting or machining from solid material. By placing material only where it is structurally necessary, Ferrari can offset the inherently higher density of steel-based alloys, resulting in components that are competitive in terms of weight while offering other significant advantages.
It is clear that the issue of a higher centre of gravity is no longer a limiting factor in this case, because the potential problem has been addressed directly at the design stage. Modern Formula 1 cars already involve numerous compromises in packaging, and it should not be forgotten that some teams even place radiators above the power unit. Within this context, the use of a steel alloy actually offers a key benefit, as it allows higher combustion chamber temperatures to be reached safely in the pursuit of improved performance and thermal efficiency.
The contribution from Shell and its advanced e-fuel will also be absolutely crucial in this area. The higher the fuel’s calorific value, the more the power unit can push towards increased power output and improved efficiency. Fuel chemistry has become a decisive performance factor in modern Formula 1, working hand in hand with engine hardware. As a result, the use of carefully developed anti-knock additives will be fundamental to prevent uncontrolled auto-ignition events. Such phenomena, if not properly managed, can be extremely damaging to reliability and could undermine the benefits of operating at higher combustion temperatures.
In this broader technical framework, Ferrari’s decision to adopt a steel-alloy cylinder head appears to be a logical and well-considered choice rather than a risky experiment. It reflects a long-term development philosophy that prioritises efficiency, performance potential and integration with advanced fuels over traditional assumptions about materials. As the 678 prepares to take its first laps at Fiorano and then in Barcelona, the coming weeks will provide the first real indications of whether this approach can deliver the performance gains that Ferrari is targeting for the new Formula 1 season.
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