Ferrari Sets January 23 Reveal for 2026 F1 Car, Prioritizing Reliability Over Early Performance

Ferrari will unveil its 2026 Formula 1 challenger on January 23 at its Fiorano test track, where the car will also complete its initial shakedown run. Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur has outlined a cautious development strategy, confirming the team will begin testing with a basic "Spec A" version focused on reliability and mileage, not outright performance, to navigate the sweeping new regulations effectively.

Why it matters:

The 2026 season represents a crucial reset for Ferrari after a disappointing 2025 campaign that yielded zero race wins. With major power unit and chassis regulation changes on the horizon, the Scuderia is prioritizing a stable foundation to avoid the costly early-season setbacks that plagued its previous campaign. This methodical approach underscores the high stakes of the new era, where initial reliability could dictate the entire season's development trajectory.

The Details:

• Launch and Shakedown: The car will be revealed and will run for the first time at Ferrari's private Fiorano circuit on January 23. It will then be shipped directly to Spain for the first multi-team pre-season test in Barcelona, starting January 26.
• Conservative "Spec A" Philosophy: Vasseur confirmed the team will bring a basic version of the car to initial testing. The primary goal is to accumulate mileage, validate technical choices, and ensure reliability before chasing performance upgrades.
  • "The most important [thing] is to get mileage," Vasseur stated. "It's not to chase performance, it's to get mileage to validate the technical choice of the car in terms of reliability. Then [after that is] to get performance."
• Learning from 2025: This strategy is a direct response to the team's troubled start in 2025. Vasseur pointed to the disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix and the subsequent loss of running and reference points as a cycle they aim to avoid repeating.
• Expanded Testing Window: With nine pre-season test days scheduled—a significant increase from the recent norm of three—Vasseur stressed the importance of using the first session in Barcelona effectively. Discovering a fundamental issue only in the final Bahrain test would leave no time to fix it before the Australian Grand Prix season opener.

What's next:

Ferrari's early focus on reliability sets the stage for what Vasseur predicts will be a volatile and rapid development race throughout the 2026 season. He expects the competitive order to shift more dramatically than in recent years, contrasting with the relatively static picture seen from the first to the last race in 2025. After the Barcelona test, Ferrari will participate in two further three-day tests in Bahrain before the championship begins in Melbourne.