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Ferrari have embarked on one of the boldest technical bets of the modern Formula 1 era as they prepare for the 2026 season. Determined to return to the very front of the grid, the Maranello engineers have drawn heavy inspiration from McLaren’s championship-winning philosophy, using it as a reference point for the design of the new Ferrari SF-26.
After a deeply frustrating 2025 campaign, the pressure surrounding Fred Vasseur has intensified significantly. The Ferrari team principal is heading into a defining year, where expectations inside and outside Maranello leave little room for compromise. A genuine title challenge is widely seen as essential to secure his long-term future, and every technical and organisational decision has been shaped around giving Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc a car capable of fighting for championships.
From an initial standpoint, Ferrari’s early running has delivered reassuring signs. The SF-26 completed its first on-track outings without any major reliability concerns, an encouraging outcome under the new regulations. Internally, the smooth debut of the updated power unit was reportedly greeted with optimism, reinforcing the belief that Ferrari have built a solid mechanical foundation ahead of the crucial Bahrain pre-season tests.
Despite that promising start, several areas of the new car remain under close scrutiny. In particular, Ferrari’s revised front-end architecture has already sparked debate among technical observers, with questions emerging over whether this solution will deliver consistent performance across different driving styles and race conditions.
Craig Scarborough raises concerns over Ferrari’s suspension direction
During a recent appearance on Peter Windsor’s YouTube channel, respected Formula 1 technical analyst Craig Scarborough offered a detailed assessment of Ferrari’s new front suspension concept for 2026, suggesting that the team may be exposing itself to unnecessary risk.
According to Scarborough’s analysis, Ferrari’s engineers have closely followed the path taken by McLaren, particularly by adopting a multilink lower arm configuration similar to the one that underpinned McLaren’s dominance during their title-winning campaign. This approach, in theory, promises significant gains in mechanical grip, tyre contact consistency and overall performance across long-radius corners.
However, Scarborough also explained that the same suspension philosophy had previously produced mixed results at McLaren, especially during the early stages of the season. He recalled how, at the beginning of that campaign, Lando Norris struggled to extract confidence from the car, while Oscar Piastri appeared far more comfortable with the initial setup.
As McLaren introduced subtle changes to the front suspension geometry, the balance of competitiveness between the two drivers shifted dramatically. Lando Norris began to find a much stronger connection with the car, while Oscar Piastri, by contrast, started to lose confidence. Scarborough attributed this swing to the steering characteristics and feedback generated by the multilink lower wishbone arrangement, rather than to aerodynamic updates alone.
In Scarborough’s view, this is precisely where the risk lies for Ferrari. While the suspension concept may function effectively in simulations and theoretical models, its real-world success ultimately depends on how naturally it communicates grip and balance to the driver. If the system fails to align with the preferences of either Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc, Ferrari could encounter significant setup limitations across the season.
Scarborough stressed that Ferrari are in danger of repeating the same scenario experienced by McLaren, where a technically impressive solution delivered uneven results depending on the individual behind the wheel. Given that both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have, at various points, expressed sensitivity to front-end feel and steering response, any imbalance introduced by the suspension could become a major obstacle.
Ferrari must avoid internal imbalance between its two stars
Adding to the complexity, recent reports have indicated that Lewis Hamilton has been heavily involved in Ferrari’s 2026 development programme, potentially to a greater extent than Charles Leclerc. While leveraging Lewis Hamilton’s experience is an obvious asset, there is growing awareness within the paddock of the risks associated with favouring one driver’s feedback too strongly.
Concerns have already been raised that such an approach could lead to internal tension if the SF-26 ultimately suits one side of the garage more than the other. Craig Scarborough’s assessment of the suspension concept has only reinforced these fears, highlighting how a finely balanced technical solution could unintentionally create a performance divide.
With the 2026 season shaping up to be a make-or-break year for Ferrari, the Scuderia can ill afford any friction between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. Success will depend not only on raw pace and innovation, but also on ensuring that both drivers feel fully supported by a car that responds consistently to their inputs.
As Ferrari continue refining the SF-26 ahead of competitive running, the challenge will be to extract the benefits of their McLaren-inspired suspension concept without falling into the same developmental traps. Striking that balance could prove decisive in determining whether Ferrari finally return to the top of Formula 1 or face another season of difficult questions.
Jan 30, 2026
