Ferrari unveils its bold 2026 F1 car just before private testing, a risky but aggressive strategy to break their title drought.
Ferrari made an important announcement for the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship, which will mark a new era of rules introducing significant changes to the cars. The Scuderia shared the date of the launch of the weapon that will be in the hands of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, aiming to break the Maranello team's title drought.
The team has only three days between the official presentation and the start of private testing in Barcelona. The new machine will be unveiled on January 23, and Fred Vasseur, the team's director, has described this last-minute strategy as “aggressive”. For the Ferrari boss, the real risk is to postpone the release of the plans as long as possible and show up in Barcelona or Bahrain with a car that has been practically assembled in the garage.
Finishing the assembly a month in advance is considered a conservative option. That is why Ferrari is firmly committed to taking the risk: they will finish construction on January 22, just one day before the launch. Despite their differences, Vasseur is confident that, faced with this new scenario, all teams will adopt similar approaches, marking the start of a 2026 season in which every decision will count.
How long is Charles Leclerc's contract with Ferrari?
There are many rumors about Charles Leclerc's future at Ferrari, but let's remember how long his contract with the Scuderia lasts. According to information from RMC, the Monegasque still has several years left with the red team.
However, an early departure cannot be ruled out: "Webber indirectly confirms that Ferrari is an option, also becausein Maranello they have to face a 2027 in which Leclerc could leave, despite a contract expiring in 2029, but they have to deal with the departure of Lewis Hamilton, for whom 2026 represents the point of no return“.
"If he wins, he will have accomplished his mission. If he loses, it will be time to call it quits for good. And that's why in Maranello, the Carlos Sainz option is still on the table, which explains why the Spaniard has never said anything against Ferrari. However, in private he has not hidden his grumbling about some things that circulated some time ago,” they reported.
Everything will be revealed in the 2026 season: whether the Scuderia can finally give the Monegasque a championship car, or whether the driver will have to betray his feelings and look to other teams that will allow him to fulfill his dream of becoming a Formula 1 champion.