Ferrari brings new power unit and aerodynamic updates to F1 2026 Bahrain test

Sakhir – Ferrari will roll into the final pre-season gathering at Bahrain International Circuit on Wednesday with a brand-new 067/6 power unit and an updated aerodynamic package, fresh evidence that the Scuderia is determined to translate an encouraging winter into genuine 2026-spec performance.

The Italian squad’s engineering staff elected to shelve the original engine after it completed more than 4,300 km—distance equivalent to 14 full grands prix—during the combined Barcelona and Bahrain tests. Apart from a late-session stoppage on the last day, when the unit cut out a handful of laps before the end of Lewis Hamilton’s long run, reliability proved faultless.

Team principal Fred Vasseur explained that the shutdown was deliberate: engineers were running the tank to its absolute minimum to calibrate fuel-pick-up behaviour ahead of the FIA’s post-race one-litre conformity check. “Consumption was marginally higher than our simulations, so gathering that data now is gold for our race-weekend modelling,” Vasseur noted.

Once the car is back in the garage, the mileage-rich power unit will be stripped and inspected by Enrico Gualtieri’s engine department to quantify wear patterns. In parallel, a zero-hour 067/6 will be bolted into the chassis, accompanied—almost certainly—by a fresh gearbox.

Gearbox fatigue is fast becoming the hidden headache of the 2026 regulations. Energy-recovery strategies that use shorter ratios to keep revs high and trim turbo lag impose far higher torque spikes on individual cogs. Ferrari, like every other team, is now weighing reinforcement solutions that could add mass but prevent costly failures once the championship begins.

The specification of the turbo itself is already a talking point in the paddock. Ferrari selected a smaller Honeywell turbine than rivals, most notably Mercedes, to minimise lag and reduce dependence on the MGU-K under acceleration. The trade-off is lower peak boost, but the Scuderia believes the payoff is twofold: superior electrical energy deployment on the straights and a quicker, more repeatable start procedure.

Bahrain start simulations showed that loading the turbo for launch requires roughly ten seconds of engine prep time. Drivers at the back of the grid have the least margin; those on the front row can arm the sequence at leisure. Ferrari’s compact turbo spools faster, shaving precious tenths and lessening the risk of a stall. It is a performance edge the team is keen to protect, and sources say Ferrari will resist any late rule tweaks—even after McLaren team principal Andrea Stella voiced safety concerns about cars potentially bogging down mid-pack.

The matter is set to reach the F1 Commission this week, where stakeholders will also debate Mercedes’ compression-ratio proposal and other 2026 technical clarifications. With the season opener looming, compromises are expected, but for now Ferrari appears content to let its upgraded hardware do the talking on track.

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