FERRARI DOMINATES TOP GEAR AWARDS 2026 WHERE THE F80 & 296 SPECIALE DROPPED THE MIC.
Ferrari has done it again, and in style. At the recent Top Gear Awards 2026 in London, Maranello’s finest walked away with two of the night’s most coveted accolades: the F80 crowned Hypercar of the Year and the 296 Speciale hailed as Supercar of the Year. With this, Ferrari’s tally of Top Gear awards hits 21 in 23 years, including a record-breaking 8th Supercar of the Year title. Daaaaamn, Maranello isn’t just participating - it’s rewriting the benchmarks.
F80: Hybrid Hypercar Wizardry
Limited to just 799 examples, the F80 joins the pantheon of Ferrari legends like the GTO, F40, and LaFerrari. The sixth supercar from Maranello, it’s a carbon-fibre hybrid powerhouse delivering 883 kW 662 kW from its 499P-derived V6 (victorious at Le Mans in 2023 & 2024) and the rest from an 800 V hybrid system with front e-4WD and rear MGU-K. The tech transfer from Formula 1 is real: e-turbos (MGU-H) convert turbine energy into instant power, crushing turbo lag. The track-focused machine has 1050 kg of downforce at 250 km/h, an active wing and suspension with 3D-printed metal upper arms, and Boost Optimisation software that gives extra power where you need it most. Inside, the asymmetrical ‘1+’ cockpit puts the driver front and centre, and every unit will be part of a 799-car limited run ahead of Ferrari’s 80th anniversary in 2027.
Jethro Bovingdon from Top Gear nailed it: "Ferrari has embraced knowledge from F1 and endurance racing to create a whole that’s raw and energised but exploitable. The F80 sounds tame outside, but inside it snorts, fizzes, shrieks, and roars."
296 Speciale: Hybrid Thrills, Track-Ready Precision
The 296 Speciale isn’t just a hyper-precise evolution of the 296 GTB - it’s a track-honed berlinetta built to thrill. The plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 120-degree twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor, giving a total output of 647 kW. Lightweight, F1-derived components, optimised 8-speed DCT, and the extra boost software strategy mean every lap is an adrenaline spike. Aerodynamic downforce is up 20% versus the standard GTB, while compact dimensions, rear gamma wings, splitters, and an enlarged diffuser ensure that it looks as fast as it feels.
Jason Barlow from Top Gear sums it up:
"It’s clear that the aim was to create a track-focused Ferrari with greater dynamic bandwidth than ever. It’s civilised enough to hammer it round Silverstone and drive home to Italy. A sublime mix of analogue and digital."
Gianmaria Fulgenzi, Ferrari’s Chief Product Development Officer, collected the awards and commented: "It is a privilege to receive these prestigious awards on behalf of my colleagues in Maranello. These coveted titles honour the achievements of a team of dedicated engineers who constantly strive for the most ambitious technical objectives."
With the F80 pushing hybrid hypercar tech to the max and the 296 Speciale blending track precision with daily usability, Ferrari has once again set the bar. Top Gear agrees - in the world of supercars and hypercars, Maranello is defining the standard.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the Top Gear crew as they test all the coolest new cars on the planet to find the best of the best - this is 23 minutes of radness: And The Greatest Performance Car Of The Year Is… | 4K | Top Gear
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