Last Updated on March 16 2026, 8:15 pm
Ferrari will evaluate a crucial upgrade package for the SF-26 during the filming day at Monza ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, as Iran US/Israeli conflict affected calendar disruption offers teams a rare development opportunity – The unexpected break in the 2026 Formula 1 calendar has given teams the chance to take a step back, analyse the situation and speed up their development work.
The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix has left a significant gap in April, enabling engineers to re-evaluate their performance in the early stages of the season under the sport’s new technical regulations.
Ferrari test major SF-26 upgrade at Monza in bid to close gap to Mercedes
For Ferrari, this pause has come at a pivotal moment. After three races, including a sprint, the Scuderia has shown glimpses of competitiveness with the SF-26, but the Mercedes-AMG team has clearly set the pace.
Although Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have both competed at the front of the pack, Mercedes’ victories have emphasised the existing gap.
Team principal Frédéric Vasseur believes that Ferrari are beginning to understand where improvements must be made. The team has now scheduled a crucial filming day at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza to evaluate their first major development package.
Originally intended for Bahrain, the upgrade will now debut at the Miami Grand Prix, which marks the resumption of the championship after the spring break.
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Ferrari schedule 200 km ‘filming day’ at Monza
Ferrari have organised a 200-kilometre filming day at Monza, a session that officially falls under Formula 1’s promotional regulations, but which has increasingly become a valuable technical exercise for teams.
Although filming days are limited in mileage and tyre specification, they enable engineers to gather preliminary data on new components prior to their introduction during a competitive race weekend. Ferrari previously adopted a similar approach prior to upgrades at Imola in the 2024 season, and this strategy has now been repeated with the SF-26.
The Monza outing will allow Ferrari to test elements of the development package planned for Miami on the car. The aim is not to push the car to its limits, but rather to gain initial feedback on the car’s aerodynamic behaviour, mechanical balance, and power unit management before the components are shipped overseas.
Engineers hope the session will confirm whether the team’s chosen development direction can close the performance gap with Mercedes.
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The “Macarena wing” is under close evaluation
One of the most intriguing pieces of technology expected to be assessed is Ferrari’s experimental rear-wing concept, informally referred to inside the paddock as the ‘Macarena wing’.
The system was initially tested in prototype form earlier in the season, but the initial feedback suggested that the design still needed refining. The hydraulic mechanism used to control the wing’s behaviour during braking phases was difficult to manage and created potential instability in braking balance for only a marginal gain in straight-line speed.
Therefore, running the car at Monza is highly strategic. The circuit’s long straights followed by heavy braking zones provide an ideal environment in which to analyse the wing’s behaviour under deceleration and aerodynamic deflection.
If Ferrari are able to finalise the design in time, the team may attempt to introduce the definitive version of the wing ahead of schedule. Initial projections had suggested that the concept would make its debut later in the year at the Canadian Grand Prix, but strong results in testing could bring that forward.
Power unit and energy management are also under scrutiny
The Monza filming day will not focus solely on aerodynamics. Engineers are also eager to analyse the behaviour of Ferrari’s power unit and its energy deployment characteristics on one of the fastest circuits in the calendar.
Under the new 2026 regulations, energy management has become one of the most critical performance factors. The balance between internal combustion output and electric deployment can dramatically affect lap times, particularly on circuits dominated by long straights.
Monza’s layout will enable Ferrari to simulate the type of energy usage expected later in the season, when Formula 1 returns for the Italian Grand Prix. The session should provide valuable insights into recovery levels, power delivery, and the timing of electric deployment during extended full-throttle sections.
Engineers will also monitor super-clipping, a phenomenon where electric energy reserves are depleted at the end of long straights, resulting in a reduction in available power. Understanding and mitigating this issue is now central to optimising lap time under the new hybrid rules.
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Ferrari targeting Mercedes’ early advantage
The development programme is a key part of Ferrari’s response to Mercedes’ dominant start to the season. Victories for Kimi Antonelli and consistent podium finishes for George Russell have quickly established the Silver Arrows as the team to beat.
However, Ferrari believe that the championship picture could change significantly once the next wave of upgrades is introduced across the grid.
According to Vasseur, the team’s focus is not on a single breakthrough, but on making incremental improvements to the whole car. Areas where Ferrari believe performance can be found include chassis balance, tyre management, power unit efficiency and energy deployment.
If the data gathered in Italy confirms the team’s expectations, the Miami Grand Prix could mark the start of a much more competitive phase of the 2026 Formula 1 season. If Ferrari’s upgrades deliver the desired improvement, Mercedes’ early dominance may face a serious challenge.
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Two race weekends down and the all new Formula One 2026 regulations have indeed had the biggest impact on the sport since its inception. As happened last time the engine rules were radically changed in 2014, it is Mercedes who have turned out on top. That said, Ferrari too have done a decent job as they sit second behind the silver arrows in the constructors’ championship.
For the rest of the field, the picture is not so rosy. If we tot up the points scored by the other nine constructors they total just four more than the Scuderia have accumulated across two races weekends.
Of course, it was expected there would be big winners and losers but presently the championships look to be a race between Ferrari and Mercedes, with the latter looking the stronger of the two.
FIA pause rule changes before Japan
The Sprint weekend in China happens to have settled some of the nerves up and down the paddock, as the expected emergency rule changes before Japan in less than two weeks time have been put on hold. Concerns remain that the disparity of performance between a car out of electrical power and one using its electrical boost systems are creating huge speed differentials which could result in a massive accident.
Then there’s the unwanted spectacle of drivers ‘going slow, to go fast’ in qualifying and the much criticised need to ‘lift and coast’ when in previous generations the cars would be flat out approaching a corner.
Unsurprisingly, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believes on the whole the new regulations are working well, but given his drivers have won all three races to date, why would he say otherwise? “Qualifying flat-out would be nice. But when you look at the fans and the…CONTINUE READING THIS STORY
A senior writer at TJ13, C.J. Alderson serves as Senior Editor and newsroom coordinator, with a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing. Alderson’s professional training in media studies and experience managing content teams ensures TJ13 maintains consistency of voice and credibility. During race weekends, Alderson acts as desk lead, directing contributors and smoothing breaking stories for publication.
