Here it is: the new Ferrari makes its debut at Fiorano, first with Lewis Hamilton and then with Charles Leclerc, igniting the imagination of fans and drawing intense attention from rival teams. John Elkann and Piero Ferrari watch with emotion, while Fred Vasseur observes with measured professionalism. The SF-26 may even look more beautiful than its predecessors – although truly ugly cars no longer exist in modern Formula 1 – but one enormous question mark is symbolically stamped onto its bodywork: will it disappoint like the 2025 Ferrari, or will it finally deliver genuine satisfaction?
When a new car is born, optimism is not only natural but necessary, for several reasons. The first is simple: it would be difficult to do worse than the recent past. Ferrari endured a season without victories, suffered the humiliation of two technical disqualifications and, as if that were not enough, finished an unacceptable fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
That chapter has now been closed. Development of the 2025 car was halted as early as last spring in order to focus fully on building a Ferrari worthy of its name. For that reason, it is reasonable to believe that the SF-26 could truly be the car of redemption. At Maranello, everything is in place to close the gap to a world championship that has been missing since the distant year of 2007.
It starts with the strongest – and most expensive – driver line-up on the grid, featuring two exceptional talents such as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. On the technical side, around one hundred new staff members have joined the Scuderia over the past two years, bringing with them experience and knowledge from rival teams such as Red Bull and Mercedes. In terms of facilities, technological capability and racing culture, no organisation can rival Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva.
There is also a radical change in regulations, bringing to an end a long and bitter period during which Ferrari never managed to express its true potential. The people capable of turning the situation around are in place: from Fred Vasseur leading the team, to Loïc Serra signing his first Ferrari project, to Enrico Gualtieri, head of the power unit department, who turned down strong offers to leave Maranello, as well as many others who work away from the media spotlight.
For these reasons, it is legitimate to expect Ferrari to fight for a world championship in the upcoming season. Anything less than that would be deeply disappointing. A second place would once again represent a failure with no excuses. Precisely because of this, the championship that effectively begins for Ferrari on January 23 can be considered a true year zero, carrying enormous risks.
From now on, no one is truly safe. Fred Vasseur, in his fourth year at the helm, has received everything he asked for from John Elkann and must now deliver results. Lewis Hamilton is required to revive past glories, otherwise his position, prestige, future career prospects and credibility could all be called into question. The technical staff must prove their worth on a blank regulatory slate that applies equally to everyone.
Charles Leclerc, however, is a separate case. His 2025 season elevated him to the role of theoretical team leader, and if victories fail to materialise, it would be he who might ultimately walk away. Leclerc has now become an idol, widely celebrated and adored, while Hamilton may have been prematurely written off by some.
Within this Ferrari team, everyone is under scrutiny. If victories arrive, pressure will ease. If they do not, the familiar toxic atmosphere of tension could resurface, potentially forcing the ownership into dramatic decisions mid-season.
For now, however, credit must be given to the immense amount of work behind the SF-26. In the configuration seen at Fiorano – which will change significantly before the Australian Grand Prix on March 8 – the car already shows interesting and distinctive details compared to rivals revealed so far. These may sound like obvious observations, but given a regulatory revolution that will likely reshape cars from race to race, any real hierarchy will only become clear after five or six Grands Prix.
Until then, Ferrari fans can allow themselves the hope of seeing a Ferrari that once again behaves like a Ferrari, despite inevitable setbacks and the strength of the competition. What is needed is the reactivation of a winning cycle, supported by a new culture free from internal suspicion and capable of building long-term trust. With everything now in place, why not believe?
