F1: Ferrari very aggressive and behind on SF-26 development? "We won't be ready for the 23rd".

As the regulatory revolution of 2026 approaches, the Formula 1 is already under stress. And, as is often the case, Ferrari is the focus of attention. In Maranello, the coming weeks will be decisive for the SF-26, the single-seater that is supposed to embody the Cavallino's revival. However, according to several corroborating Italian sources, the project is behind schedule, to the point of drawing the attention of team principal Fred Vasseur.

A symbolic date that has become a source of tension

Ferrari plans to officially unveil its F1 2026 on January 23, just before the first private tests in Barcelona. A seemingly classic date, but one that takes on a special dimension in a context of maximum pressure. The Scuderia is embarking on a new technical cycle after a very disappointing 2025 season, which ended without a win and in fourth place in the constructors' championship. According to Umberto Zapelloni, who usually has good sources, the state of progress on the SF-26 does not correspond to the initial schedule. So much so, in fact, that an internal statement went viral: "We won't be ready for the 23rd". A statement that would have provoked the anger of Fred Vasseur, for whom any delay at this stage is deemed unacceptable.

Maranello under pressure, pilots on standby

This nervousness is not limited to the technical management. Ferrari is playing for big bucks with its driver duo. Charles Leclerc, a pillar of the project for several seasons now, sees time passing by with no real chance of a title. For his part, Lewis Hamilton, who arrived with the clear ambition of an eighth world title, can't afford to waste a year in technical limbo. The two drivers have already made their bucket adjustments, the chassis has been validated, and priority will now be given to the reliability of the brand-new 2026 powertrain. But the unusual absence of a video of the first engine ignition is fuelling speculation and reinforcing the idea that the program is being run to the limit.

Real delay or aggressive working method?

However, not all sources paint such a gloomy picture. Others explain these difficulties by the Vasseur method: pushing the teams to the limit, multiplying solutions right up to the last minute, even if it means assembling the car on the eve of its presentation. As a result, the SF-26 could be assembled on January 22, just 24 hours before its official launch. Internally, Ferrari is confident that it will be present in Barcelona on January 26, even with a deliberately conservative configuration and "masked" bodywork, a practice now commonplace in the paddock. At this stage, the aim would be above all to validate the basics, before the official tests in Bahrain in February.

A media storm to put into perspective?

At the same time, competitors are making progress. Audi is already running its engine, Red Bull is preparing to announce its partnership with Ford, and Mercedes and McLaren are planning to hit the ground running with their first tests. Every rumour about Ferrari is blown out of all proportion. A certain caution is called for. Maranello has always been a factory of rumours, sometimes used, deliberately or otherwise, to confuse or destabilize. On the eve of the crucial 2026 season, it's not out of the question that these "leaks" also serve to conceal the true state of progress of the project. The truth, as is often the case in Formula 1, will only emerge at the first Grand Prix. Until then, the SF-26 will remain at the heart of all speculation.