Lewis Hamilton is gearing up for 'an extremely important year' at Ferrari after they unveiled their 2026 challenger on Friday. Their new car, the SF-26, was revealed to the world in a social media announcement after weeks of anticipation. It features a classic livery, dominated by the traditional Ferrari red with the additions of white and black trim.
Everybody at Ferrari will be hoping for their fortunes to improve in 2026 after a difficult campaign last time around. Hamilton will be particularly desperate for a strong season, having failed to register a single podium finish in 2025. In a statement following Friday's announcement, he said that he was preparing for a very difficult challenge under the new regulations.
"The 2026 season represents a huge challenge for everyone, probably the biggest regulation change I have experienced in my career," said Hamilton.
"When a new era begins everything revolves around development, growth as a team, and moving forward in the same direction.
"As a driver, being involved from the very start in the development of such a different car has been a particularly fascinating challenge, working closely with the engineers to help define a clear direction for it.
"It will be an extremely important year from a technical perspective, with the driver playing a central role in energy management, understanding the new systems and contributing to the car's development.
"It is a challenge we face together as a team, supported by the extraordinary passion of Ferrari's tifosi, which means so much to all of us."
Hamilton was given the honour of debuting the SF-26 with Ferrari giving it a run-out in a shakedown session at their private Maranello circuit. His team-mate Charles Leclerc will get a chance to jump behind the wheel later on Friday.
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Team principal Frederic Vasseur said: "For sure it 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. It means that the approach is a bit different. We have to start from scratch on every single topic.
"The launch of the season is always exciting, but I think this one is particularly exciting. We put a lot of energy, time and effort on the 2026 project.
"We started one year ago, but what is exciting in the new regulations is that everybody probably took a different direction, different path. We will have to be very open-minded at the beginning of the season to react to every single circumstance.
"This is very important to have stability into the organisation, to have a good group of people used to working together with the same focus. It will be key for the season."
