Ferrari has completed a shakedown with the SF-26 on its in-house track in Fiorano – here’s how the first laps went for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
On Friday morning, Ferrari conducted the first shakedown with the new SF-26, which was unveiled to the public on Friday, at its in-house test track in Fiorano. However, due to regulations, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were not allowed to drive more than five laps.
At 10:26 a.m., the gates of the Ferrari garage opened. Under a gray-blue sky and with the humidity typical of this time of year in the Po Valley around Modena, several thousand tifosi had gathered along the fences to watch the new car’s first few meters for the 2026 season live.
Lewis Hamilton was the first to take the SF-26 onto the track, accompanied by the cheers of the crowd and on asphalt that was still damp. As is customary for such shakedowns and as required by the sporting regulations, the car was equipped with Pirelli demo tires. Hamilton made use of active aerodynamics, which was particularly evident on the front wing.
Our first look at the SF-26 in action! A result from all the hard work from everyone in the factory to Charles and Lewis on track. pic.twitter.com/oWdXwKzu3e
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 23, 2026
However, after completing the first lap, the seven-time world champion parked the car on the start-finish straight, whereupon the mechanics pushed it back into the garage. Team mate Charles Leclerc then took his place in the cockpit for a few laps. Contrary to initial reports of technical problems, the shakedown went ahead as planned.
Ferrari subsequently confirmed that no difficulties had arisen. The fact that so few laps were completed was not due to technical issues, but to the regulations: the Scuderia was not allowed to cover more than 15 kilometers during the shakedown, which corresponds to only five laps on the 2,976-meter track.
Before driving the SF-26, Hamilton and Leclerc first inspected the track in road cars. The aim was to check the conditions and get an initial feel for the grip level they could expect later in the Formula 1 car.
The overall impression of the Ferrari SF-26’s first appearance was apparently positive. The car will now be taken to Barcelona, where the official Formula 1 test drives will take place behind closed doors starting on Monday (January 26).