Ferrari concluded its Bahrain testing on a positive note, yet the team’s sporting director Diego Ioverno admitted some issues emerged during the sessions. While the SF-26 topped the timing sheets, the main focus was not on outright lap times. Instead, Ferrari concentrated on reliability, data collection, and understanding the new car. Attention now turns to Melbourne, where the first Formula 1 race of the season will take place. Reliability proved one of the strongest points between Bahrain and Barcelona, and fortunately, Ferrari’s Power Unit showed no major issues, unlike some other teams. Diego Ioverno shared his assessment of the tests.
Ioverno: “We achieved our main goals, but some issues remain”
Through Ferrari’s official channels, sporting director Diego Ioverno provided a first evaluation of the team’s activities. Ferrari completed nearly the entire planned program, gaining valuable experience with the new technical project.
“We completed three very intense sessions between Barcelona and Bahrain. Across nine days of on-track activity, we exceeded 6,000 kilometers, which was one of our primary objectives. We are bringing back a huge amount of data to analyze and have improved our understanding of the car. We encountered a few issues, which we are already managing and must resolve to be fully ready for Melbourne,” Diego Ioverno explained.
Crucial developments in a season still to build
The 2026 season marks the start of a new technical cycle, and the key will be the continuous development of the car. Testing can only provide so much insight, and the true potential of all teams will only emerge during race weekends. Diego Ioverno emphasized this point:
“Only from Melbourne will we truly begin to understand our level compared to our rivals. It will take time to get a clear picture, and especially this year, we expect a very rapid improvement curve for everyone. It will be a long season during which we will continue to push forward without ever giving up.” – the Ferrari Sporting Director concluded at the end of the Bahrain pre-season testing session.
With reliability solid and a clear plan for development, Ferrari heads to Australia cautiously optimistic, aware that the season’s challenges have only just begun.
