Hamilton Shares Enthusiasm After Debut in Ferrari SF-26

Lewis Hamilton has officially turned his first laps in red, shaking down the new SF-26 at Fiorano. The seven-time champion took to social media to express his excitement about the project, emphasizing the collective effort behind the car and the team's shared ambition for the upcoming season.

Why it matters:

This shakedown marks the tangible start of the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership ahead of the 2026 regulatory reset. After a 2025 campaign that fell short of expectations, the team is banking on this new era and the arrival of the British legend to challenge for championships and reignite the passion of the Tifosi.

The details:

• First Impressions: Hamilton described the experience on social media, stating, "Car launch truly never gets old," and thanking the team for their hard work over the winter break to get the car ready.
• Fiorano Shake Down: Hamilton shared track time with teammate Charles Leclerc at Ferrari's private test track. This session served as a crucial systems check before the car's public debut.
• Testing Plan: Ferrari will skip the opening day of the official Barcelona test next week, making these initial laps at Fiorano vital for gathering early data.
• Engineering Changes: Carlo Santi, an experienced hand who previously worked with Kimi Raikkonen, will act as Hamilton's interim race engineer in Barcelona as the team continues to evaluate candidates for the permanent role.

Looking Ahead:

The team now heads to Barcelona for the first major pre-season test of the year. While the focus remains on track performance, off-track speculation continues regarding Hamilton's permanent race engineer, with rumors suggesting a former McLaren employee could be the target.