Ferrari workforce principal Fred Vasseur expects Method 1 groups to introduce B-spec vehicles on the official pre-season exams in Bahrain subsequent 12 months, following January’s shakedown in Barcelona.
New aerodynamic and energy unit rules make the 2026 vehicles a major departure from their predecessors, and have led to a late-January five-day take a look at in Spain to first run the brand new designs. Much like 2014, the principle focus shall be on reliability at that stage earlier than two pre-season exams in Bahrain that Vasseur believes will see two several types of automobile used forward of the opening race.
“I feel sure, everyone will do it,” Vasseur mentioned. “However on this scenario, crucial is to get mileage. It is to not chase efficiency, it is to get mileage, to validate the technical alternative of the automobile, after which to get efficiency. I feel everyone will are available Barcelona with not the actual automobile, however a ‘spec A.’”
With Ferrari launching its new automobile on January 23 subsequent 12 months, Vasseur says the Barcelona working will permit groups to uncover any potential main points that want addressing, because the Bahrain exams will seemingly be too near the primary spherical in Melbourne to take action.
“It is true that we’re not used to having 9 take a look at days anymore,” he mentioned. “The final 4 or 5 seasons, we did three. It is a bonus, nevertheless it’s additionally a totally completely different program. It signifies that the primary goal for this type of season is to get reliability.
“You keep in mind completely the season 10 or 15 years in the past, the primary races you had an enormous proportion of DNFs. It signifies that first, we have to get mileage. Additionally what we need to keep away from in comparison with 2025 is that after we have been misplaced in the beginning of the season with the disqualification [in China]. We misplaced mileage, we misplaced reference, after which you’re [chasing] after this. It is a lengthy course of.
“The primary focus in Barcelona, we have to get mileage for the automobile, to know the truth of the automobile, the place we’ve to enhance or on what we’ve to react. As a result of if we need to have one thing for Bahrain T02, we cannot have time to react for Australia. The primary goal – the promotional day no, however Barcelona – shall be for positive to get mileage greater than pure efficiency.”
