The 2026 Ferrari Formula 1 car will look very different from the current SF-25, yet it will share one important similarity. The engineers at Maranello are reportedly taking a step back on a key element of project 678, the chassis designation for the next-generation car. Here’s what area of development will be modified and why the team has chosen to change direction.
Project 678, named after the chassis number, will feature major differences compared to the SF-25, as the two cars belong to completely different generations of Formula 1 machinery. However, Ferrari’s technical team has now decided to make a strategic adjustment in one particular area of the 2026 car’s design.
As early as April, the Italian squad had decided to shift its full focus toward the upcoming 2026 regulation changes. The new generation of Formula 1 cars has already achieved lap-time improvements of about three seconds compared to the first prototype used in the wind tunnel. This shows there is still huge development potential, and the new rules could dramatically reshuffle the competitive order on the grid. Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur has already confirmed the key figures leading project 678: Loic Serra, Diego Tondi, and Frank Sanchez. The latter, recently appointed as head of aerodynamic development, will be working closely with Diego Tondi. Fred Vasseur himself will have the final say on all major technical decisions. Now, new details about Ferrari’s next car are starting to emerge.
Ferrari: no suspension revolution thanks to SF-25 testing?
Until recently, it was known that Ferrari’s 2026 project was already at an advanced stage. At Maranello, aerodynamic development work on the car’s main components will continue until November. According to AutoRacer.it, the base chassis and suspension layout have already been defined, following directions set for the first time by Technical Director Loic Serra. The aerodynamic design phase, led by Diego Tondi, will introduce several changes to the geometry of the front axle. Serra has been leading a sort of suspension revolution, aware that these components are essential to the car’s overall performance. By late September, Ferrari had finalized the chassis design, a key structural element in the car’s development. However, recent results have prompted a change in direction from the Maranello engineers.
According to journalist Paolo Filisetti in La Gazzetta dello Sport, the strong performances of the SF-25 in Austin and Mexico have influenced some of Ferrari’s latest technical decisions. Much of Ferrari’s recent progress has come from work on the differential and the brake-by-wire system, improving rear brake temperature management. As a result, the suspension setup — which was initially planned to be radically overhauled — will now retain a layout similar to the one seen on this year’s SF-25. “In project 678, there will be fewer revolutions, or rather, fewer modifications than originally expected. If the current suspension configuration had continued not to work as desired, both the internal front and rear layouts would have undergone significant redesigns,” the report stated.
Finally, La Gazzetta dello Sport adds that “according to information gathered, only the elastic response values of components such as the torsion bars and the heave damper — which manages the ride height — are expected to be modified.” In simpler terms, this means the current car’s solid mechanical platform allows Ferrari’s engineers to focus on fine-tuning rather than major redesigns. The upcoming months will be crucial for the design and construction of these components, as Ferrari continues preparing for the sweeping changes that will define Formula 1’s 2026 season.
