Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Scuderia Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed when Ferrari will first take to the track during Formula 1’s opening pre-season test for 2026 in Barcelona next week.
The first pre-season test of the new regulation cycle will run over five days behind closed doors at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with teams evaluating their all-new 2026-spec machinery. Williams will miss the test after delays in passing FIA crash tests, reducing the number of cars running during the opening phase of winter preparation.
Under the sporting regulations, each team is permitted to run for only three days during the five-day Barcelona test. Combined with the two subsequent tests in Bahrain, this limits total pre-season mileage to nine days per team before the season-opening round.
Several teams have adopted staggered test plans. McLaren has already confirmed it will not appear during the opening days in Barcelona and may not run until Wednesday. Ferrari, by contrast, will begin its programme earlier, with the SF-26 scheduled to make its first on-track appearance on Tuesday, 27 February, before the team finalises its remaining running days for the week.
Vasseur described the launch of Ferrari’s 2026 project as a significant emotional and technical milestone, heightened by the scale of the regulation overhaul facing the championship.
“It’s quite an emotional day for us today. The launch of a new project is always an important milestone,” Vasseur told selected invited media, including RacingNews365.
“But this year it is even more true because the 2026 regulations are completely new. It has been a long journey to reach this point, and I think it has gone quite well.”
While encouraged by the initial phase of the project, Vasseur stressed that Ferrari’s attention now shifts fully to the on-track validation phase in Barcelona.
“It was a good start, so we need to stay positive and enjoy the journey, but now we have to be fully focused on Barcelona.”
Ferrari has already mapped out its early test days, with flexibility retained for the final allocation in line with the regulations.
“We will start the test on Tuesday, and then, according to the regulations, we will decide the remaining days. We will also be on track on Thursday.”
Vasseur also highlighted the extensive workload undertaken behind the scenes, particularly on the power unit side, as Ferrari transitions into the 2026 era.
“There has been a huge amount of work over the past weeks, months, and probably years on the engine side. We are very happy with the situation today. This is not the end of the story, but the beginning of the season.”
With Ferrari set to run earlier than some of its direct rivals, the Barcelona test will provide the first opportunity to validate the SF-26 concept on track. How effectively the team uses its limited running days is expected to play a crucial role in shaping its development direction as Formula 1 enters a new technical era.
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