Ferrari has learned the hard way that noise does not necessarily equate to progress in F1. After a messy 2025 season that raised more questions than answers, the team has gone unusually quiet as there are no bold promises and very few hints about what is coming next. Still, inside Maranello, everything is pointing towards 2026.
Ferrari Builds Big Around Full Factory Control
For Ferrari, this is a reset that carries real weight as the team has not won a world title in over a decade, something that is unthinkable for an outfit of their size and history. With Charles Leclerc firmly established and Lewis Hamilton arriving with unfinished business, expectations are only growing, and the pressure is on.
The prancing horse remains unique in F1 as it is a manufacturer, constructor, and a brand that lives and breathes the sport, and that identity shapes how it approaches rule changes. The 2026 project has been designed and built entirely in Maranello, with engine and chassis development working side by side from day one.
The new 678 car reflects that philosophy as Enrico Gualtieri’s engine group and Loic Serra’s chassis department have worked closely to ensure the power unit fits the vehicle, not the other way around.
That integration has also given aerodynamicists Diego Tondi and Frank Sanchez room to push specific ideas further than before, such as smaller cooling systems, tighter packaging, and a compact battery layout.
MORE: Ferrari Goes All-In on 2026 as Secret Project 678 Strategy Signals Bold F1 Power Move
Fred Vasseur backed that vision with a bold call, as development of the SF-25 was halted in the wind tunnel by late April last year, as half measures would not be enough under a regulation shift of this magnitude.
While Mercedes and Red Bull have made headlines with a compression ratio trick that boosts efficiency and power once the engine heats up, Ferrari has taken a different route and has chosen to rethink the foundations of their power unit.
Steel Engines and Skeptical F1 Fans
Reports from Italy have revealed that Ferrari’s 2026 engine will utilize steel alloy cylinder heads instead of aluminum, an unusual choice that has immediately sparked debate. Steel is heavier, and weight is expected to be a key consideration when the new rules take effect.
Ferrari reasons that steel can handle higher temperatures and pressures inside the combustion chamber, and that opens the door for more aggressive development and could improve the reliability of the engine. With power units becoming heavier across the grid in 2026, Ferrari believes the trade-off makes sense.
History shows why fans are cautious, as in 2022, several teams started the season overweight and paid the price early on, but Ferrari is confident that it can manage that risk, especially as upgrades arrive.
However, the reaction from fans has been sharp, with one saying, “Ferrari and gambling is a joke.”
While another said, “Trusting Ferrari is hard.”
Another fan said, “Nice, you’ll have a boat engine slugging around corners, car will undrivable.”
And another wrote confidently, “I am fully prepared for a mid-season switch to a different strategy once this backfires.”
Within the team, there are signs of renewed focus, as experienced figures like Di Paola have taken on more responsibility, and new personnel from Renault and Mercedes have strengthened the engine group. Pre-season testing will be critical, especially in proving that reliability fears are behind them.
Ferrari knows that it cannot afford to play it safe in 2026, as many rivals have the resources to innovate. Whether steel cylinders become a masterstroke or another painful lesson is something fans will learn later this month.
