Ferrari targets further engine and chassis gains after difficult Hungarian Grand Prix. Ferrari plans further engine and chassis development over final 12 races.

Fred Vasseur has confirmed that Ferrari intends to maintain its aggressive SF-26 upgrade strategy throughout the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season, despite a Hungarian Grand Prix weekend that produced fewer points than the team expected. The team principal believes the car still offers substantial development potential, both on the chassis and engine sides.

Ferrari left the Hungaroring without a podium after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finished fifth and fourth respectively. However, Vasseur attributed the outcome primarily to execution rather than a fundamental limitation of the SF-26, reinforcing his confidence in the technical direction chosen by the Maranello team.

Ferrari upgrade strategy brings changes at almost every race

Rather than waiting to introduce occasional large packages, Ferrari has attempted to bring new components to nearly every round. That approach continued in Hungary, where the Scuderia arrived with a small circuit-specific package that included revised rear-wing flaps intended to provide greater stability at the back of the car.

Rear-end behaviour remains one of the SF-26’s weaker areas, making the changes particularly relevant at the Hungaroring. The update formed part of the team’s high-downforce configuration, although Ferrari’s choice also involved compromises that affected Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in traffic, as explored in an analysis of the SF-26 rear wing used in Hungary.

Ferrari’s development philosophy differs from McLaren’s. The British team completed several rounds without significant updates before introducing a major package in Hungary, where Lando Norris went on to win the race. Ferrari, by comparison, has favoured a steadier flow of individual parts rather than concentrating its development into a small number of substantial packages.

Speaking to members of the media, including ScuderiaFans.com, Fred Vasseur acknowledged that McLaren had made a significant step. However, he emphasised that the two teams were following different development models. McLaren’s first major package arrived in Miami, while Ferrari has tried to deliver useful components at almost every Grand Prix.

Ferrari engine development remains the more difficult task

The regular stream of chassis improvements has also helped Ferrari limit the consequences of an engine that currently trails its main rivals. Vasseur accepted that further progress was required on the power unit and confirmed that the team intended to address that area.

At the same time, the Frenchman explained that developing an engine was considerably more challenging than improving a chassis. For Ferrari, the essential objective is therefore to sustain its current rate of progress rather than allowing its development programme to lose momentum during the second half of the campaign.

With 12 races still to be contested, Fred Vasseur sees considerable scope to improve the chassis as well as other areas of the package. His assessment suggests that Ferrari does not regard the current SF-26 specification as close to its development ceiling, even though producing gains across the car will require the team to maintain its present pace.

Vasseur attributes Hungary result to execution errors

The Hungarian Grand Prix represented a setback, but Vasseur did not believe Ferrari’s difficulties were caused by an underlying performance deficit in the SF-26. Instead, he acknowledged that the team had failed to execute the weekend correctly.

According to the Ferrari team principal, a stronger start and an incident-free opening corner could have changed the direction of the entire race. That assessment reflects how several Ferrari errors contributed to the missed Hungary podium, even though the car had shown competitive speed earlier in the weekend.

Vasseur nevertheless stressed that execution had generally been one of the Scuderia’s strengths during the first half of the season. Hungary was therefore treated as a costly exception rather than evidence of a recurring weakness. Strategy also played a role in the outcome, with Ferrari later acknowledging that its original tyre plan was not the optimal choice.

Ferrari recovered ground after Mercedes controlled early races

The impact of Ferrari’s upgrades can also be seen in its recent points trend against Mercedes. Vasseur divided the opening half of the season into two distinct periods, with the first extending to the Spanish Grand Prix.

During that earlier phase, Mercedes was performing at a very high level and accumulated approximately 100 more points than Ferrari across a sequence of four or five races. The picture changed after Spain, with the Maranello team outscoring its rival over the following four or five rounds.

That recovery has enabled Ferrari to reduce its deficit to Mercedes in both championships and remain involved in the title contest. Vasseur has consequently maintained the team’s focus on the 2026 Constructors’ Championship battle, even after the missed opportunity at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari’s immediate challenge is now to combine its improving technical package with cleaner race execution. The team’s development direction has produced encouraging gains, but Fred Vasseur’s assessment makes clear that progress with the SF-26 must continue across the chassis, power unit and overall operation if the Scuderia is to sustain its championship challenge.