Two F1 teams have been left surprised at Ferrari's new rear wing design after analysing telemetry data, it has been reported.
Ferrari arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit for day two of the third and final pre-season test with a radical update to the rear of their car.
In basic terms, the Italian team have re-engineered their exhaust wing so that it fully rotates when the active aerodynamics system, new for 2026, is applied by the driver.
F1TV technical analyst Sam Roberts noted that the 2026 sporting regulations does not ban the innovation, which should lower aerodynamic drag on the straights and therefore increase straight-line speeds.
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Ferrari trialled the new innovation on Thursday morning when Lewis Hamilton took to the track.
Sky Sports F1 co-commentator Anthony Davidson speculated that the rear wing choice could be acting as a solution to their new diffuser, which he says 'appears to be giving them a lot of slow speed downforce'.
"The car is generating some downforce at slow speed," he said. "But, as efficient as a diffuser is, it doesn't come for free because drag is created.
"Maybe this rear wing mitigates the losses of the extra drag from the brilliant diffuser on the Ferrari."
The new design is said to be not yet a permanent fixture on the Ferrari, and is simply being trialled during testing at this stage.
The Scuderia were the only one of the 11 teams to trial such a radical change to the exhaust wing on Thursday - leaving rival constructors scrambling to figure out exactly what potential benefits it will bring in the longer-term.
According to Italian outlet AutoRacer, Ferrari have 'worked extensively at the factory on the mobile profile of the rear wing'.
They are said to have found that the version they tested on Thursday, which can pivot up to 270 degrees, 'appears to be the one that yielded the best results', though its reliability is not perfect as of yet.
It is added that, after assessing their telemetry data, both Red Bull and Mercedes were 'surprised' at just how much of an impact the rear wing change was having on Ferrari's straight-line performance.
Should the reliability of the design be improved, it will then be up to rival F1 designers to try and follow Ferrari as the 2026 season gets underway.
But Scuderia team principal Frederic Vasseur says he doesn't know exactly when the new component will be placed on the car.
"I think everybody is doing innovation," he told reporters (via RacingNews365).
"Sometimes it's visible, sometimes it's not. I'm sure that our competitors, and everybody on the grid, is doing exactly the same.
"It's true that the last two bits that we bought on the track were visible from outside. But it's not a big difference.
"I don't know if it will be for Melbourne [first race of the season] or the next one [when it is applied to the car]."
Topics: Ferrari, Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton
Ryan Smart