A former Ferrari engineer has analysed the SF-26’s performance in Bahrain testing, explaining why the Scuderia’s 2026 car appeared nervous in certain sections of the track.
We have said it time and again: making predictions ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is extremely difficult, given the major changes introduced by the new regulations and the limited clarity offered by pre-season testing in Bahrain. Even so, one early indication seems clear — Ferrari is in the fight, and that was far from guaranteed.
The Maranello-based team was among the standout performers during this first phase of the season, showing a reliable power unit and a car that appears broadly competitive. Whether that will be enough to secure one or more world titles remains impossible to determine at this stage. What does seem evident is that the Scuderia led by Frédéric Vasseur is not significantly behind its main rivals and heads to Australia eager to deliver an immediate result.
Despite setting the fastest time of the Bahrain test, some Tifosi expressed concern after observing the behaviour of the SF-26 in certain corners. Ferrari’s latest challenger occasionally looked unsettled, with handling characteristics that raised a few alarm bells — particularly in high-speed changes of direction and traction-limited exits.
Luigi Mazzola explains Ferrari’s Bahrain behaviour
Luigi Mazzola, former Ferrari engineer, addressed the issue during an appearance on the News F1 podcast. “Ferrari did not perform badly — quite the opposite. They immediately showed they have a solid car. Clearly, all the cars, having around 30% less aerodynamic downforce, were more difficult to drive and less stable. They are no longer ‘on rails’: you really have to drive them. We saw many cars with oversteer, spins, rear ends stepping out suddenly. It happened to everyone.”
“So you cannot say Ferrari was particularly nervous: in reality, they all were. Maybe someone has a bit more downforce than the others and is in a better position in terms of handling, but overall the cars looked quite tricky. On the reliability front, Ferrari was strong: they completed a lot of laps. The drivers complained, like everyone else, but in the end the lap times showed that the performance was there. They were not seconds off the pace. In fact, they even chased outright performance, and in my opinion that made much more sense this time compared to the past.”
Mazzola also commented on the importance of Ferrari’s repeated qualifying simulations during testing. “Testing extreme conditions is useful because it allows you to verify whether the software and energy management are working correctly or whether they need adjustments. In race simulations, with more fuel onboard, you can adapt. But when you run low fuel and push to use all the available horsepower, that’s when you understand if everything truly works. For this reason, in my opinion it made sense for the teams to attempt qualifying simulations. I don’t believe it was done just for a ‘winter headline’ or to make an impression — this time there was a clear technical logic behind that kind of work.”
As the season opener approaches, Ferrari’s Bahrain form suggests potential — but as Luigi Mazzola underlined, understanding the true pecking order will only be possible once competitive conditions reveal the real balance of performance.
Leave a Reply