Fred Vasseur, the head of the Ferrari Formula 1 team, foresees substantial in-season progression as teams adapt to the revised regulations and is confident that the competitive hierarchy will not be fixed following the initial race in Melbourne.
The regulatory overhaul for 2026, which introduces modified power units, energy management systems, and aerodynamic principles, represents a monumental shift in F1’s history, offering Ferrari an opportunity to establish an early advantage, particularly after their inability to contend for a championship under the previous rule set.
To enhance its prospects, Ferrari redirected its entire aerodynamic development focus to the 2026 vehicle starting in April, a decision that incurred a cost in the latter part of the 2025 season, leading to their drop to fourth in the constructors’ championship after a year without securing a Grand Prix victory.
Following intense scrutiny and increasing pressure on both him and the team within Italy during the current year, Vasseur holds a clear understanding of the high expectations placed on Ferrari for 2026.
However, he also emphasized that with numerous performance aspects for teams to refine, the path to triumph next year will hinge more on ongoing enhancements throughout the season than on the initial competitive standing observed at the inaugural Melbourne race.
Vasseur warned, saying, “The upcoming year will not be defined by the initial impression of the season, nor will it solely revolve around the standings after Australia; instead, it will largely depend on the ability to achieve rapid progress. The season definitely won’t conclude in Australia, irrespective of whether we’re in first or tenth place, as there’s a substantial journey ahead for everyone until its conclusion.”
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Photo by: Andrej Isakovic / AFP via Getty Images
When questioned regarding the potential outcome of his decisions made for 2025, the French team principal responded: “I genuinely have no idea. Our discipline is fundamentally about comparison. I might perform admirably, yet if another individual performs more impressively, I appear foolish. We are exerting maximum effort, striving for excellence, and it’s undeniable that dedicating more effort to a project yields superior results.” He continued, “However, I’m unaware if McLaren, Red Bull, or Alpine currently hold an advantage over us. No one possesses that knowledge, and I believe the paramount concern isn’t dedicating efforts to discern whether others are ahead or behind.”
Charles Leclerc expressed that this emerging period represents a “make or break” moment for Ferrari to contend for championships alongside him, noting that the Monegasque driver delivered one of his strongest F1 seasons in 2025 without achieving any tangible rewards, having awaited his championship opportunity since joining the Scuderia in 2019. Concurrently, Lewis Hamilton requires a winter revitalization after a challenging inaugural season at Maranello, which proved more arduous than he had expected.
When asked if Vasseur echoed Leclerc’s pressing sentiment for Ferrari to elevate its performance, he responded: “No, not a sense of immediate crisis. However, if you inquire about his satisfaction with a session when he places second versus sixth, it’s certainly a different Charles.” He elaborated, “Yet, if you pose the question to him on the subsequent Thursday: ‘What are your goals for the team?’, I believe his perspective remains consistent. It’s perpetually about striving for improvement, even when in the top position. We are dedicated to refining every core aspect of our performance—the engine, transmission, aerodynamics, car configuration, and simulator work—as this is fundamental to our operational philosophy.” He added, “It’s not as though only one team suddenly realizes in the morning, ‘Oh, we’re underperforming, we must exert more effort.’ Believe me, I think Max [Verstappen] is challenging his team to its absolute fullest, Lando [Norris] is similarly pushing his team to the brink, and frankly, as an F1 team, this is precisely what we anticipate. If Charles and Lewis expressed complete contentment with the car and all its facets, I would actually feel quite disheartened! This dynamic is ultimately more constructive than anything else.”
