Hordes of Ferrari fans – better known as the tifosi – gathered Friday morning around Fiorano, Ferrari’s test circuit in Maranello. The Italian stable will unveil later today the new SF-26, the F1 car for the upcoming season. Drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are expected to put in their first laps straight away. Expectations are high; after a rather underwhelming season the SF-26 must deliver a turnaround.
Ferrari runs through the veins of Italian motorsport fans, as was evident again on Friday. Several tifosi assembled early along the Fiorano test circuit hoping for a glimpse of the new SF-26 and of drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Ferrari is holding a so-called season launch on Friday and will for the first time pull the cover off the brand-new car. According to the latest rumours the Scuderia has opted for a radical new design.
Given the 2025 results, that comes as no surprise. Ferrari came no higher than fourth in the championship last year. Star driver Lewis Hamilton – who made his debut in red – also failed to score a podium. He frequently struggled with the car’s handling and was unable to match his younger team-mate. The British ace cut a visibly beaten figure in the second half of the season and had already pinned his hopes on 2026 and the new regulations. That puts heavy pressure on the SF-26; the tifosi lining the track in Maranello are fervently hoping for a competitive car.
