Ferrari gears up for a busy April to close the gap with Mercedes. Ferrari prepares a hectic April with intensive track and development work.

Scuderia Ferrari is entering an intense month of development as it prepares for the return to racing at the beginning of May for the Miami Grand Prix. Formula 1 is currently on pause due to tensions in the Persian Gulf, which led to the cancellation of both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.

SF-26: working on a new aerodynamic package

For the fourth round of the season in Miami, Ferrari plans to bring a substantial upgrade package. While the exact details are not yet known, the focus will likely be on aerodynamics and possibly mechanical and chassis improvements. The power unit, however, will remain unchanged, as teams are waiting for the directive that should allow Maranello engineers to introduce updates by mid-June for the Canadian Grand Prix.

As part of these preparations, Ferrari will take to the track tomorrow at the Mugello circuit, using 2025 cars for a TPC (Testing of Previous Car) session, according to Motorsport. The 2025 cars can be used because the regulatory changes, including the abandonment of ground effect, removed the previous obligation to run cars from two seasons prior.

Three drivers will take turns in the SF-25: Antonio Fuoco, Antonio Giovinazzi, and Arthur Leclerc. Their goal is to collect data and get familiar with the track ahead of the main test sessions.

Decisive test at Monza

This Mugello session is just the first step before a second test, likely in mid-April, which will take place at Monza. That session will involve 200 kilometers of filming day laps, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel, validating the upgrade package before it is shipped to the United States.

Monza was chosen for its unique characteristics, both in terms of aerodynamics and power unit energy management. It is widely recognized that the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza could be the toughest testing ground for the 2026 Formula 1 cars, which have shown challenging energy management issues during the first three races of the season.

These challenges are particularly relevant for the SF-26, which is also working on software updates to partially solve these problems and try to recover lost ground compared to Mercedes.

In short, Ferrari’s engineers and track teams face a very intense month ahead, alternating between factory development and on-track testing to arrive at the season’s resumption more prepared than ever.