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RacingNews365 technical expert Paolo Filisetti explains what Ferrari’s goals were during its first F1 2026 appearance and what it will be paying attention to in the coming days.
Ferrari unveiled their new SF-26 car at the Barcelona shakedown test, where Charles Leclerc drove in the morning and completed 64 laps. Lewis Hamilton was scheduled to take over in the afternoon for further testing of power unit operating modes and active aerodynamics, contingent on the weather conditions. Leclerc was the sole driver testing the Partial Active Aero Mode, a compromise between the Straight Mode and Corner Mode aerodynamic configurations. The track conditions, transitioning from dry to wet due to heavy rain, influenced the testing strategy and prevented Ferrari from fully executing their plan. Despite the challenges, valuable data was collected through Leclerc’s runs and Hamilton’s wet-weather program, with a focus on upcoming aerodynamic tests in the subsequent testing days.
