As we enter the final stages of the disappointing 2025 season, Ferrari is going all-in to beat Mercedes and its rivals in 2026.
The year 2025 was supposed to be the turning point for Ferrari, after a promising end to 2024. Instead, the current campaign has turned out to be yet another failure for the Scuderia, which once again finds itself licking its wounds. But in Maranello they are not giving up, and preparations are underway for a bold design for 2026. The spirit is very much “make or break”: will this finally be the right time?
The Maranello team will face next year what will become its second-longest trophy drought, having last won a championship in 2008. Pressure will therefore be extremely high to ensure that Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton can rely on a car that is finally competitive.
And with one of the most complex regulation changes ever seen in the history of the sport, the Scuderia is reportedly planning a risky strategy to reach its goal. Motorsport.com Italy revealed that Ferrari is betting on aerodynamic and chassis flexibility to overcome the problems that plagued the team this year.
The goal will be to ensure the power unit is as light as possible. However, reports suggest the new V6 hybrids will weigh around 30 kilograms more than the current engines. This has apparently led Ferrari to consider a design similar to the Mercedes W13, in particular adopting slimmer sidepods in an attempt to save weight.
But Ferrari’s chances of success could take a significant hit in 2026 with the departure of key personnel from the engine department. Most notably, Wolf Zimmerman, head of engine development, along with his deputy Lars Schmidt, have left Maranello to reunite with former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto at Audi.
It remains to be seen how much, and if, the departure of the two will affect the outcome of the new project. In the meantime, Maranello is going all out to challenge Mercedes, which according to reports is considered the favorite, at least on the engine side, for next year.
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