Last Wednesday, Ferrari completed its work at the historic Monza circuit successfully, with a relaxed atmosphere and calm faces among technicians, drivers and engineers. The day at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza carried the typical structured intensity of a Formula 1 filming day, but without the pressure of competitive timing. However, the 2026 Formula 1 project is a tough and complex challenge, and the objective was not to set competitive lap times or evaluate how much a specific upgrade could improve performance on paper or in isolation. Instead, the focus was on extensive data collection, correlation work and targeted analysis of the hybrid system, with engineers carefully comparing simulator output and real-world track behaviour.
In modern Formula 1, especially under the current regulatory cycle that define the 2026 season, this type of work is considered far more valuable than raw performance runs, particularly in early development stages where the car concept is still evolving. Ferrari’s approach reflects a wider trend across the F1 grid, where rivals Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren also prioritise correlation and systems validation during limited testing opportunities. For the Italian side, led on the sporting side by Frederic Vasseur and supported by key technical figures across Maranello, Monza represented a controlled environment to verify that theoretical gains are translating correctly into physical behaviour.
Ferrari studies the SF-26: lap times and expected gains still under evaluation
Last Wednesday, Ferrari was at Monza for a private test session necessary to carry out the very first checks on the car. However, several clarifications are needed, especially to avoid external speculation. The car is not completely new, and there will not be a so-called “Version B” of the single-seater, as many fans and observers may assume when hearing about track testing activity. Likewise, no major performance jump is expected already at the Miami Grand Prix in early May, and expectations must remain realistic and aligned with development timelines.
This clarification is important not due to a lack of confidence in the Maranello team, but rather because of technical pragmatism. The upgrades exist, but they are part of a long-term development plan that will progressively refine and improve the behaviour of the SF-26 over time. In Formula 1 development cycles, especially under stable aerodynamic and hybrid regulations, progress is typically incremental rather than revolutionary.
This is the first year of a major regulatory revolution in Formula 1, where mistakes in concept direction can have long-lasting consequences. Choosing the wrong development path would mean losing valuable time in what is already one of the most complex regulation cycles in recent seasons, particularly when compared to previous transitions such as the hybrid era introduction in 2014 or the ground effect return in 2022.
For this reason, each step must be taken carefully and with patience, even if external expectations often demand immediate visible gains. At the same time, providing random figures about expected performance improvements from updates is considered misleading, especially since even the engineers themselves do not yet have precise data on the real-world impact of certain modifications.
During the Monza track running, discussions within the paddock and technical environment included references to lap times and potential speed gains linked to aerodynamic concepts like the so-called “Macarena wing”. However, it is important to underline once again that lap times in this context are effectively meaningless. The same applies to the active aerodynamic system, which first needs to operate correctly and consistently, especially after earlier stability concerns observed up to the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Monza test work with the SF-26
Ferrari’s goal during its first filming day of the season was clear: to verify correlation between simulation tools and real track performance. This type of correlation work is one of the most critical pillars in modern Formula 1 development, as it determines whether the virtual model used in the factory accurately represents what happens on track.
This data collection is crucial because it allows the team to update and refine its simulator, which will then be used extensively in the coming days and weeks for development direction decisions. The simulator is effectively the backbone of modern F1 car development, and its accuracy directly impacts aerodynamic, mechanical and hybrid system evolution.
The target is simple but strategically essential: arrive in Florida, for the Miami Grand Prix weekend, with meaningful and actionable feedback that can be used immediately in setup and development direction. Updating the mathematical model of the car is a key step, as it allows engineers to better understand how the SF-26 behaves under real aerodynamic load, braking phases, energy deployment and cornering conditions.
Everything else is considered secondary during this phase, especially given the limitations of a filming day test. These limitations include strict mileage caps, controlled running conditions, and the mandatory use of Pirelli demo tyres, which are not representative of full competitive race compounds. Additionally, engine modes and energy deployment strategies are also partially restricted compared to a Grand Prix weekend.
Although the possibility of running upgraded components during this type of test is important for validation purposes, the first real competitive reference will only come during the free practice sessions in Miami. Until then, the focus remains heavily on simulations, data processing and correlation analysis, which will provide the tools needed to understand how to extract the best performance from the package.
Positive track feeling: encouraging feedback for Ferrari at Monza
Aerodynamic configuration played a key role in selecting Monza as the test venue. The circuit, known as the “Temple of Speed”, is ideal for evaluating low-drag efficiency, straight-line stability and energy deployment efficiency. The team needed detailed information on the SF-26’s aerodynamic drag levels and, in particular, a focused study on hybrid energy usage across different phases of the lap.
Energy harvesting and deployment had caused several operational issues for the Italian team in the first three Grands Prix of the season, affecting both consistency and performance optimisation. As a result, this test was considered particularly valuable in understanding how the revised systems behave under controlled but realistic conditions.
It was therefore a smart and strategically planned test, especially considering the FIA’s recent regulatory adjustments. As is known within the paddock, the governing body reduced the available energy per lap from a maximum of 9 megajoules to 7 megajoules. This change requires a complete recalibration of the hybrid software and a more refined management strategy for the energy recovered by the MGU-K motor generator unit.
In practical terms, this affects how drivers deploy power throughout a lap, especially in traction zones and long straights such as those found in Monza. It also impacts how engineers balance battery harvesting versus deployment, ensuring optimal performance without exceeding regulatory limits or compromising drivability.
Despite all technical considerations, one important internal fact remains consistent. According to information gathered by our editorial team, which was present in Monza on Wednesday in observation mode only, Ferrari is satisfied with the general direction of the updates tested on track. There is a sense of cautious optimism within the team, even if no definitive conclusions are being drawn at this stage.
The same positive feeling applies to the hybrid system tests, although everything will need to be confirmed at the Miami International Autodrome, where subjective impressions will be replaced by objective performance data. Only then will the team be able to validate the car’s progress in a fully competitive environment, under real race weekend conditions.
Until that moment arrives, the Monza test remains exactly what it was designed to be: a controlled development exercise focused on correlation, validation and system understanding. Everything else, as the Maranello team internally suggests, remains speculation or paddock interpretation rather than confirmed performance reality.
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