Ferrari is preparing a significant SF-26 upgrade for the United States Grand Prix in Austin as Fred Vasseur identifies Red Bull as the latest benchmark in an increasingly close Formula 1 battle. With Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull and the Scuderia separated by fine margins, the Ferrari team principal believes another development step could quickly alter the competitive order.
The picture at the front has changed repeatedly during the season. Mercedes initially appeared particularly strong before McLaren enjoyed its own spell at the front, while Red Bull has since produced the most convincing recent resurgence. That shifting hierarchy has increased the importance of Ferrari’s next development phase as Maranello looks for a route back towards the leading positions.
Red Bull emerges as Ferrari’s latest benchmark
Ferrari’s need for further progress has been a recurring theme, with Charles Leclerc in particular stressing the importance of continuing to develop the SF-26. The team began the season competitively but has since slowed the pace of its upgrades while its closest rivals have continued introducing changes.
Red Bull has made perhaps the most significant recent step. After a difficult first half of the campaign, the Milton Keynes team became increasingly competitive from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix onwards. Max Verstappen narrowly finished second in Baku before delivering dominant performances in Malaysia and Singapore.
Vasseur acknowledged in Singapore that Red Bull had been doing an excellent job, while also emphasising how rapidly the balance between Formula 1’s four leading teams has changed. He pointed to Mercedes’ strong start, McLaren’s subsequent rise and Red Bull’s two consecutive victories as evidence that no single team has maintained a permanent advantage.
The closeness of the field was particularly clear in qualifying at Marina Bay, where Vasseur highlighted that four different teams were covered by only around two tenths of a second. With such small margins, even a relatively modest development gain could have a noticeable effect on the order.
Ferrari Austin upgrade could change the competitive picture
That makes Austin an important point in Ferrari’s season. The United States Grand Prix is expected to bring a significant package for the SF-26 as the Scuderia attempts to regain ground on its rivals. The challenge surrounding the latest development step has already made the upcoming race a crucial Austin upgrade test for Ferrari.
The Circuit of The Americas could also provide an interesting test of the existing car before the effect of the new components is fully assessed. Recent analysis has identified an SF-26 characteristic that may suit Austin, giving Ferrari another reason to view the Texas weekend as an important opportunity.
Vasseur believes the exceptionally small gaps between the leading teams mean the championship picture remains capable of changing quickly. In his assessment, a successful upgrade from any of the contenders could be enough to move the standings and reshape the hierarchy.
Vasseur wants Ferrari focused on its own development
Although Ferrari has further developments in the pipeline, Vasseur was careful not to portray that as something unique to Maranello. He explained that every team continues to prepare upgrades and argued that Ferrari’s priority must be extracting the maximum from its own programme rather than becoming distracted by what Mercedes, McLaren or Red Bull might introduce.
That approach is particularly important in a season where development has repeatedly shifted the balance of power. Ferrari has already shown that its technical concept contains competitive strengths, while Lewis Hamilton has also highlighted the team’s innovation during the season despite acknowledging areas in which the package remains disadvantaged. His assessment of Ferrari’s development direction and remaining power deficit underlines why further gains from the SF-26 could be valuable over the closing rounds.
Austin will therefore offer Ferrari both an opportunity and an important reference point. Red Bull currently represents the strongest recent benchmark, but with four teams operating within such narrow margins, Vasseur’s view is that the competitive order is far from fixed. Whether Ferrari’s latest SF-26 upgrades can deliver the required step could play a major role in determining how close the Scuderia can get to the front during the final phase of the season.
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