Scuderia Ferrari unveiled its new SF-26. But the presentation quickly took an unexpected turn: during Ferrari’s shakedown at Circuito di Fiorano on Friday, the car suddenly stopped on track.
A new rule package, highlighted by a requirement to paint or sticker at least 55% of the bodywork, ensures the 2026 cars will not only look different, but also drive differently. That’s why Ferrari supporters have been so keen to catch a glimpse of the new car, especially after the team’s recent seasons have fallen well short of expectations. F1 writer Daniel Valente wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), fans were already heading to Fiorano in the early hours of the shakedown day. By 5 a.m. local time, the track was already crowded with curious Ferrari supporters.
Hamilton’s First Run Draws Instant Attention
GettyDuring the shakedown, the SF-26 suddenly stopped on track.
After a disastrous season last year, Lewis Hamilton rolled out the SF-26 for its first laps shortly after the unveiling. Although the shakedown was private, Fiorano is visible from public roads, and fans quickly captured the moment Hamilton slowed to a halt. Smartphones were rolling. Images and clips spread rapidly online.
And those videos showed Hamilton briefly stationary on track, pulling away for only a few meters before stopping once more. A small moment that nonetheless sparked immediate attention.
Fans Already Seem Disappointed
Another clip appeared to show the SF-26 parked in an awkward spot just short of pit entry. It was giving the impression that the car had abruptly shut down as Hamilton attempted to peel off into the pitlane. In reality, the footage captured different angles of the same sequence. Following a single installation lap, Hamilton completed a short two-lap run. One tucked in behind a camera car, the other run alone.
He wrapped up the stint with a practice start before bringing the car to a halt on track, from where Ferrari personnel recovered it back to the garage. Sky Italia explained, there were “no issues” with the car. Lewis Hamilton simply stopped there cause Ferrari wanted to maximize the amount of km they could use. The outing was classified as a demonstration event. This limited Ferrari to just 15 kilometres of running.
That restriction is significantly tighter than a full filming or promotional day, which allows up to 200 kilometres. At Fiorano, 15 kilometres translates to five laps in total. With Charles Leclerc also scheduled to sample the SF-26 shortly afterwards, Ferrari had little margin for error.
Nevertheless, Fans already seem disappointed. As a reaction to the footage, one fan wrote: “Yeah, go on and break our hearts this year too, Scuderia Ferrari SMH.”
Ted Kravitz from Sky Sports F1 said, he was impressed by Ferrari’s performance. “The new engine sound is really different, it sounds louder, it sounds more raspy,” Kravitz said. He added, “Lewis Hamilton out there with his signature yellow crash helmet, looking really good in the Ferrari.” A good sign for the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who wants to fight for the title again in the 2026 season.
The SF-26 Stopped on Track – What Really Happened