BERLIN (DPA)
Ferrari unveiled on Friday their new car for the 2026 Formula One season.
The Italian team will hope that the new machinery, built to all-new regulations, can end a championship drought that stretches back almost two decades to 2008, when they won the constructor's title.
"2026 for sure will be a very exciting season. It's probably the biggest change in the regulations of F1 over the last 25 years. We are changing the chassis, the engine, the battery, the tyres, the sporting regulations," team principal Fred Vasseur said.
After the unveiling, the SF-26 was out on Ferrari's private-owned Fiorano Circuit for its debut running with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton joined the team last year in a blockbuster move from Mercedes, but couldn't live up to the expectations in a very frustrating season.
"Everyone starts from scratch, so it really levels the playing field," Hamilton said.
"Then it's really all about development, who can develop faster, who comes up with the best ideas, and then a unified team growing at the same pace."
Official pre-season testing in Bahrain is scheduled for February 11-13 and February 18-20, with the season starting at the Australian Grand Prix on March 8.