The Lewis Hamilton 'wildcard'! Ferrari have genius upgrade to shock F1 rivals before first race

Ferrari may have an upgrade for their 2026 car up their sleeves before the start of the new F1 season, according to reports in Italian media.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton is hoping that Ferrari's SF-26 will offer him more pace this year, following a dismal first season at the Maranello-based outfit, where he was only able to secure sixth place in the drivers' championship.

Hamilton did not even claim a single grand prix podium last year, and finished a whopping 86 points behind team-mate Charles Leclerc in the standings.

But the 41-year-old will be encouraged by the fact that there are new regulations sweeping into the sport, which could help Ferrari challenge nearer to the front of the grid, and their first outing in Barcelona last month was promising.

Now, Formula1.it are reporting that there is more good news for Hamilton and Leclerc, with Ferrari apparently having a planned upgrade to their SF-26 before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The above publication report that Ferrari are set to reduce the size of their sidepods, due to the fact that they are able to have smaller radiators on their SF-26 due to a clever engine design quirk.

The team have opted to use steel cylinder heads for their internal combustion engine, which they believe can operate at higher temperatures and dissipate heat more efficiently, meaning that they do not need their radiators to be as big.

This, in turn, will allow them to operate with reduced sidepods, according to the above publication, in what could be the team and Hamilton's 'wildcard' heading into the new season.

READ MORE: F1 insider reveals the one condition that will see Hamilton leave Ferrari

Can Ferrari challenge for the title in 2026?

Ferrari were a long way off challenging for either title in 2025, but there is real hope that the 2026 regulations reset could help them to become a real force in F1 once more.

The team have not won a championship of any kind since the 2008 season, and Hamilton was brought in to try and turn that around.

While his and Ferrari's performances left a lot to be desired in 2025, Hamilton is still the most successful driver in the history of the sport, while Ferrari are the most successful team in F1 history.

Could that partnership finally yield something special in 2026? Well firstly, Ferrari will just want to get back into race-winning contention, and more closely challenge the likes of McLaren and Mercedes.

READ MORE: Hamilton 'splits with key team member for SECOND time'

Related