BREAKING: After a challenging 2025 season’Ferrari is ready for a major… Read more

Ferrari Gears Up for 2026 With Major Reorganization and Strategic New Hires Ahead of Radical F1 Car Launch

 

By Hugo Harvey

 

Ferrari has begun an extensive internal reorganization as it turns its full attention toward the 2026 Formula 1 season, a campaign that will usher in one of the most dramatic regulatory resets in the sport’s modern history. Following a challenging 2025 season that ended with the Scuderia finishing fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, the Maranello-based team has made it clear that short-term compromise was necessary to position itself strongly for the next era.

 

Formula 1 teams have been working behind the scenes for months on the next generation of cars, but the final races of 2025 and the post-season Pirelli tests at Yas Marina officially marked the end of the current ground-effect era. From 2026, sweeping changes to aerodynamics, power units, and overall car philosophy will demand a complete rethink of how teams design, develop, and operate. Ferrari was among the first to openly acknowledge the scale of the challenge.

 

During the closing rounds of the 2025 season, Ferrari admitted that development of the SF-25 had effectively been halted as early as April. This decision, while costly in terms of immediate competitiveness, was taken to free up resources—both human and technical—for the 2026 project. Team principal Fred Vasseur defended the move as a necessary sacrifice, insisting that success under the new regulations would depend on early commitment and long-term vision rather than incremental gains in a fading regulatory cycle.

 

A Ferrari Unlike Any Before It

 

According to Formula 1 expert Rosario Giuliana, writing for The Race, Ferrari’s 2026 car “will have little to nothing in common with the 2025 version.” That assessment underlines just how radical the reset will be. The new regulations demand a fresh aerodynamic concept, revised chassis architecture, and full integration with the next-generation power units, leaving little room for carryover solutions.

 

Ferrari’s fourth-place finish in the 2025 Constructors’ standings does, however, offer one notable advantage. Under the sport’s aerodynamic testing restrictions, the Scuderia will enjoy approximately 15% more wind tunnel and CFD allocation than championship winners McLaren. Internally, Ferrari views this as a crucial opportunity to recover lost ground and refine its concepts more aggressively during the early phases of development.

 

Technical Reshuffle in Maranello

 

Beyond the car itself, Ferrari’s most significant changes are happening within its technical department. The departure of several experienced engineers in 2025, including Wolf Zimmermann, left gaps in key areas of the organization. Rather than simply replacing roles like-for-like, Ferrari has opted for a broader restructuring aimed at reshaping how the team operates under the leadership of Vasseur.

 

Giuliana reports that Vasseur recently convened a high-level meeting to reorganize technical staff and redefine responsibilities across departments. A central pillar of this strategy is targeted recruitment, with Ferrari focusing its attention on engineers coming from Renault. The timing is strategic. After decades in Formula 1, Renault has decided to withdraw as a power unit manufacturer, with Alpine set to switch to Mercedes engines from next season.

 

This transition has made several highly experienced Renault engineers available at a moment when Ferrari is eager to inject fresh ideas and alternative methodologies into its structure. The Scuderia believes that blending its traditional strengths with external expertise could be vital in mastering the complexities of the 2026 regulations.

 

Leadership, Culture, and Direction

 

Since taking charge, Vasseur has emphasized clarity of structure and accountability within Ferrari. Insiders suggest that the reorganization is not merely about personnel changes, but also about improving communication between departments and streamlining decision-making. Ferrari’s struggles in recent seasons have often been attributed not to a lack of talent, but to inefficiencies in execution and internal coordination.

 

The 2026 project represents an opportunity to reset not just the car, but the culture surrounding its development. With a clear timeline and a defined regulatory target, Ferrari is attempting to build a more cohesive technical group capable of responding quickly to challenges once the new era begins.

 

Countdown to the New Era

 

Ferrari is expected to unveil its 2026 car in mid-January, with private testing scheduled shortly thereafter. While early performance will not tell the full story, those first runs will provide valuable insight into whether the extensive behind-the-scenes changes are beginning to pay off.

 

As Formula 1 prepares to turn the page on the ground-effect era, Ferrari is betting that early sacrifice, bold restructuring, and strategic recruitment will position it as a genuine contender when the lights go out on the opening race of 2026. For a team defined by history and expectation, the coming months may prove decisive in shaping its future at the front of the grid.

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