F1 News: Ferrari Bend Backwards To Perfect Lewis Hamilton’s Arrival as 2026 Program Becomes Priority

For Ferrari, the next two years remain crucial. With Lewis Hamilton’s entry into their stables looming, their 2026 Power Unit Project’s unveiling is also gathering momentum. At present, the team races against time. So far, what is the distance they’ve covered in this major paradigm shift in their Power Unit? The director of the Ferrari Power Unit department has a key update to give.

On the front end, Ferrari confirmed that 39-year-old Hamilton will be joining their camp after racing for his bastion Mercedes for one last time in the coming season. The Italian team relayed that the Stevenage-origin racer has signed a multiyear contract with them that will be effective from the 2025 F1 season. While this glamorous development has swept fans off their feet, on the back end, the backbone of the team, its set of engineers undertakes a critical task.

It was reported that during their winter break, Ferrari’s engine engineers had tested their 2026 F1 power unit in Maranello for the first time ever. The Prancing Horse is one among several power unit suppliers that have begun working on their engines for the 2026 rules. These rules underscore F1’s commitment to sustainability as they have amplified the shift to 50% internal combustion and 50% electrical power together with the use of 100% sustainable fuels.

While teams are not allowed to work on their engines before 2025, they have, however, begun their efforts to design them, anticipating the drastic overhaul. Amidst these competitive waters, Ferrari remains in the spotlight as it promises to showcase a brand-new engine by 2026 that will reflect its fame and love for speed. Formu1a.uno, an Italian publication quizzed Enrico Gualtieri, the one accountable for Ferrari’s Power Unit department on how far the team has come on this front.

Ferrari’s 2026 Power Unit Project in Full Swing

Gualtieri noted how 2026 is looming sooner than one thinks. “In reality, 2024 will certainly be a challenging year for the power unit department because the 2026 program is starting to become more and more present in our development path. So it is true that we are entering this phase where we are developing the fundamental parts of the new powertrain.”

At what stage does the team of engineers spearheading this significant innovation find themselves? Gualtieri added, “In percentage terms it is easy to evaluate because you know that we have hours on the Dyno bench for the current regulation period and these are reducing season after season. In any case – with 24 races – the focus remains very high on the season we are about to face “

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According to Motorsport Italy, from 2026, the MGU-H will disappear. Additionally, focus will be placed on electrical power and increased biofuels as F1 aims to become net zero by 2030. This paradigm shift comes poised at a time when Ferrari braces itself for Hamilton’s entry into its team. What does the combination of these two developments prove for the team? Fans desperately await that answer.

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What do you think of these developments for the team? Let us know in the comments section below.