Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc Watch Ferrari Fire Up 2026 F1 Engine

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were present as Ferrari reached a major early milestone ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with the Maranello-based team firing up its new power unit for the first time.

Ferrari released official footage of the first fire-up of its 2026 Formula 1 engine via social media, with Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and team principal Fred Vasseur watching the moment inside Ferrari’s facilities. The clip represents the first visual and audio material shared publicly by the Scuderia related to its new challenger, the SF-26.

The fire-up marks an important step in Ferrari’s preparation for the new technical era beginning in 2026, which will introduce sweeping changes to power unit architecture and vehicle concepts across the grid. While Ferrari has not disclosed technical details, the sound of the engine offers an early indication that the project has moved into an operational development phase.

Ferrari’s decision to go public with its first engine fire-up follows the successful shakedown completed by customer team Cadillac at Silverstone. The American outfit recently released a short video from its initial running, in which the sound of the Ferrari power unit was clearly audible, confirming that customer programmes are already active ahead of the new regulations.

The timing of Ferrari’s engine reveal also comes against the backdrop of significant internal change. On Friday evening, the Scuderia announced that Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer would no longer be Riccardo Adami, confirming a restructuring on the operational side of the team.

Ferrari stated that Riccardo Adami has transitioned into a new role as manager of the Ferrari Driver Academy and the Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme, a move aimed at strengthening long-term talent development and technical continuity within the organisation.

The presence of both Hamilton and Leclerc during the fire-up carries strategic significance. Hamilton enters the 2026 season with Ferrari targeting a return to championship contention, while Leclerc remains central to the team’s long-term technical direction as it adapts to the new regulatory framework.

With the 2026 power unit now successfully ignited and early development steps made public, Ferrari is set to intensify its preparation through further bench testing and on-track evaluation. The effectiveness of its power unit programme, combined with organisational stability during a period of change, will be critical in determining whether Ferrari can re-establish itself at the front of Formula 1 in the new era.