The internal combustion engine and the electric system passed the test on the second day of track testing at the Spanish circuit, where the new Ferrari took to the track: 64 laps for Leclerc and 58 for Hamilton, even though the weather didn’t cooperate until midday

On the morning of the second day of testing at Montmelò, Charles Leclerc debuted the SF-26, managing to complete a total of 64 laps. The planned work program for the Monegasque driver and for Hamilton, who took his place in the afternoon session, included a series of checks partly related to power unit modes but also—weather permitting—an initial analysis and familiarization with the active aerodynamics. In this regard, it is worth noting that only Leclerc was able to begin an initial procedural run-through—particularly in terms of driving reflexes—by testing the third aerodynamic configuration, known as Partial Active Aero Mode. This mode effectively serves as a middle ground between the straight-line configuration (Straight Mode) and the standard configuration (Corner Mode), and was approved by the most recent FIA World Council last December. This was particularly relevant given that the track surface, with the exception of the first few laps, was drenched by heavy rain showers throughout the morning, before gradually drying out—though never completely—before the lunch break.

Ferrari’s program, therefore, was not carried out in its entirety, but tests related to different modes of using the PU (power unit) and visual analysis of the flow patterns—achieved through the extensive use of Flow Viz on the rear wing—effectively marked Leclerc’s various out-of-pit runs. Hamilton, on the other hand, conducted his testing mainly on a wet track with low grip, completing a total of 58 laps; therefore, the predominantly dynamic testing originally planned will certainly be carried out during the two remaining days available to the team, up until Friday. One significant finding—even bearing in mind that performance was certainly not the primary objective, given the changing weather conditions—concerns the reliability of the power unit (PU). Already on the first day of this session, both Haas and Cadillac reported no critical issues in this regard, whether related to the internal combustion engine or the electrical system. This is an important step forward in this preparatory phase, where there are several unanswered questions that the teams will seek to address during this session and the two subsequent ones in Bahrain. Ferrari’s work plan for the two remaining days before concluding its testing will focus on the dynamic analysis of the car, involving extensive data collection on the suspension and aerodynamic performance—specifically, the analysis of downforce distribution. The use of the power unit will continue to be evaluated under various scenarios, particularly during long runs, with a specific focus on energy recovery related to the various systems involved in this function, starting, of course, with regenerative braking.