Whilst nothing can be taken for granted in pre-season, one aspect of F1 that is almost impossible to hide – reliability. In the upcoming six days of Bahrain testing, the first challenge for teams will be to accumulate as many laps as possible.
Of course, this can only be accomplished with a reliable car. Given that the 2026 regulations represent such a radical change, especially on the engine side, there are huge question marks before the first sessions in Bahrain tomorrow.
Inevitably, some teams are more confident than others. According to the latest reports, Ferrari are making a declaration of intent with a big decision for this week’s tests.
Ferrari confident in 2026 power unit
Engines have been the biggest talking point during the winter break. Generally speaking, Mercedes (more specifically, their controversial engine compression ratio solution) have dominated pre-season coverage.
The Silver Arrows are widely seen as favourites to set the standard and produce the best engine. This was true even when the 2026 regulations were being discussed in early 2025, and this consensus has only spread in recent months.
Mercedes completed more laps than anyone else in the Barcelona shakedown, reinforcing confidence in their power unit’s reliability. Even assuming the Mercedes’ compression ratio trick is addressed, the German engine’s overall competitiveness should remain intact.
In this context, the question is which other engine suppliers are capable of surprising Mercedes and challenging them.
Based on experience and infrastructure, Ferrari and Honda are the two most likely candidates. However, delays in Honda’s decision to commit towards the 2026 regulations have created lingering doubts in their power unit.
Aston Martin’s late arrival to the Barcelona shakedown also means there is little evidence about the Japanese manufacturer’s current performance level. At Ferrari, meanwhile, there are some tentatively positive indications coming to the forefront.
During the Barcelona shakedown, the Maranello outfit managed an impressive 440 laps – only Mercedes surpassed this total. Across all three days of running, Ferrari avoided any major issues and went through a vigorous programme.
Ferrari’s customer teams, Haas in particular, also saw solid reliability from the Italian power unit. Although engine modes and various other factors from Barcelona are unknown, these data points are encouraging.
By extension, Ferrari themselves appear to be taking confidence from what the data is revealing so far. As reported by it.motorsport.com, the Scuderia plan to use the same power unit from Barcelona at this week’s test in Bahrain.
In addition, Vasseur’s team want to use this same engine throughout the 6 days in Bahrain. This is a bold choice which, in more ways than one, sends a clear message heading into the 2026 season. (cont. on next page)