Ferrari have once again caught the attention of the Formula 1 paddock after introducing another bold tweak to Lewis Hamilton’s car during testing in Bahrain. As teams continued preparations for the 2026 season at the Bahrain International Circuit, Ferrari appeared to exploit a fresh grey area within the new technical regulations.
The team had already impressed a day earlier, with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets for much of the session before being edged out by rivals. Hamilton, however, endured a disrupted run due to technical trouble with the SF-26. Despite that setback, attention quickly shifted to Ferrari’s innovative aerodynamic solutions.
Observers noticed that Ferrari had experimented with flipping the rear wing assembly to reduce drag on the straights. Under the new 2026 active aero rules, the upper rear wing element can rotate when switching modes — and Ferrari appear to have taken that concept further than anyone else so far.
Technical analysts pointed out that the regulations do not explicitly state the wing must remain in a conventional orientation when active aero is engaged. By effectively running the wing upside down in straight-line mode, Ferrari may be reducing aerodynamic resistance and boosting top speed — a move that rival teams had not attempted.
Commentators praised the ingenuity, suggesting it could complement Ferrari’s strong diffuser package, which is believed to generate significant low-speed downforce but at the cost of added drag. Hamilton has since spoken positively about the SF-26, saying he feels more connected to this year’s car after contributing to its development — a promising sign as Ferrari continue pushing boundaries ahead of the new campaign.
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