The internal combustion engine and electric system passed muster 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, although 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 work plan for the Monegasque driver and for Hamilton, who took his place in the afternoon session, included a series of checks partly related to the power unit’s operating modes, but also—weather permitting—an initial analysis and familiarization with active aerodynamics. In this regard, it is worth noting that only Leclerc was able to begin an initial procedural run-in, particularly regarding driving reflexes, testing the third aerodynamic configuration—the so-called Partial Active Aero Mode—which effectively represents a middle ground between the straight-line configuration (Straight Mode) and the standard configuration (Corner Mode), and was approved by the latest 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 throughout the morning, before gradually drying out—though never completely—before the lunch break.

Ferrari’s program, therefore, was not fully carried out, but tests related to different modes of using the PU (power unit) and visual analysis of fluid flow patterns through the extensive use of flow viz on the rear wing effectively marked Leclerc’s various pit exits. Hamilton, on the other hand, conducted his testing primarily 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 Scuderia, up until Friday. A significant finding, in any case—even bearing in mind that performance was certainly not the objective, not only due to the changing weather conditions—concerns the reliability of the PU, which, already on the first day of this session, had shown, with Haas and Cadillac, a total absence of reported issues in this regard, both in terms of the internal combustion engine and the electrical system. This is an important step forward in this preparatory phase, where there are many unanswered questions that the teams will seek to address during this session and the next two 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 regarding the suspension and aerodynamic performance—specifically the analysis of downforce distribution. The methods of using the PU will continue to be evaluated across various scenarios, particularly during long runs, specifically regarding energy recovery from the various systems involved in this function, starting, of course, with regenerative braking.