Ferrari’s second consecutive Formula 1 podium has prompted a wider debate about the team’s future, with Sky Sport F1 commentator Carlo Vanzini calling for greater stability in Maranello and full authority for the person responsible for leading the project. Following Charles Leclerc’s second place and Lewis Hamilton’s fourth place at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, Vanzini argued that Ferrari’s progress must be accompanied by stronger support for its leadership if the Scuderia is to return to challenging for world championships.
The Austin result offered encouragement after the podium finish in Singapore, but Vanzini believes Ferrari should be judged against a much more ambitious standard. He also highlighted an important lesson from Sunday’s race: despite extensive preparation and sophisticated simulations, the Hard tyre became a crucial factor in the outcome after appearing to be a less attractive option during Friday practice.
Ferrari leadership needs stability and greater authority, says Carlo Vanzini
Speaking after the United States Grand Prix on Sky Sport F1, Vanzini turned his attention to the way Ferrari is managed. His central argument was that the Italian team needs a calmer working environment and a clearer division of responsibilities, particularly when it comes to the authority of the team principal.
The commentator maintained that the person leading Ferrari’s Formula 1 operation should be given complete responsibility for the project. In his view, those occupying positions above the team principal must offer their support rather than interfere with decisions that should remain under the team boss’s control.
His comments came amid questions about Ferrari’s internal direction and speculation surrounding possible alternatives for the leadership role. Vanzini referred specifically to Colletta and Rivola, whose names have appeared in discussions about potential options.
Rather than advocating another change, however, his message centred on continuity and trust. Vanzini believes Ferrari requires the stability necessary to develop its project without repeated uncertainty over who should be making the key decisions.
The importance of that approach extends beyond a single Grand Prix. Ferrari has been working to develop the SF-26 throughout the current campaign, including a package of four major aerodynamic changes introduced for Austin. Vanzini’s argument is that progress on track must be supported by consistency in the team’s overall management.
Why Ferrari’s Austin podium was encouraging but not enough
On the sporting side, Vanzini acknowledged that Ferrari had reasons to be optimistic. Charles Leclerc followed the team’s Singapore podium with another top-three finish at the Circuit of the Americas, while Lewis Hamilton completed a strong points-scoring result in fourth place.
He viewed the two consecutive podium appearances as a positive sign and recognised that Ferrari had come close to placing both drivers among the top three. Nevertheless, he resisted describing Austin as a completely satisfying weekend.
Vanzini explained that Ferrari’s history and expectations demand more than occasional podium finishes. Although the recent results demonstrate progress, he believes genuine satisfaction will only come when the Scuderia returns to winning races and, more importantly, competing for the Formula 1 World Championship.
The difference between a promising result and a championship-level performance therefore remains central to his assessment. Austin provided further encouragement, but Ferrari’s objective is to turn competitive race weekends into a sustained challenge for victories.
Ferrari’s Austin tyre strategy reveals an unexpected lesson
Beyond the leadership discussion, Vanzini identified tyre selection as one of the most revealing aspects of the United States Grand Prix. He pointed to the contrast between the conclusions teams reached during Friday practice and the performance of the Hard compound during Sunday’s race.
Pirelli’s tyre allocation and the strategic uncertainty surrounding Austin had already made tyre management an important consideration. The available compounds were the C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft, with practice running initially suggesting that the hardest option would have a relatively limited role.
Teams consequently concentrated much of their preparation on the Medium and Soft tyres. Yet the race demonstrated that the Hard could be considerably more effective than Friday’s assessments had suggested, particularly once the demands of a full Grand Prix became clear.
Vanzini drew attention to the enormous investment Formula 1 teams make in engineering, data analysis and simulations, noting the irony that Ferrari had effectively discounted a compound which later proved highly valuable.
His observation reflected a broader challenge in race strategy. Even the most extensive preparation cannot remove every uncertainty, because actual tyre degradation, traffic conditions and the development of a race can significantly change the relative value of different compounds.
How Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc benefited from the Hard tyre
The importance of the white-marked compound became particularly clear through the contrasting approaches taken by Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc.
Antonelli secured victory at the United States Grand Prix with a one-stop strategy, moving from Medium tyres to Hards. The harder compound became the foundation of his successful race plan, allowing him to complete the event without requiring a second stop.
Leclerc followed a different route. After a more complicated race, the Ferrari driver made a second pit stop to fit a fresh set of Hard tyres. That decision allowed him to recover ground during the closing stages and ultimately finish second.
Although their strategies differed, both drivers demonstrated the importance of a compound that had initially appeared less attractive. For Antonelli, the Hard provided the basis for victory; for Leclerc, a fresh set became an important element of his recovery.
The contrasting approaches can be explored further through the F1 tyre strategy and stint analysis, which allows readers to examine tyre choices and stint patterns across the field.
Carlo Vanzini predicts Ferrari can fight for the 2027 F1 championship
Looking beyond the immediate lessons of Austin, Vanzini also expressed confidence about Ferrari’s prospects for the following season. His optimism came with an important condition concerning the team’s power unit.
The commentator argued that Ferrari must resolve its engine situation for 2027. If that happens, he expressed strong confidence that the Maranello team would be capable of fighting for the world championship next year.
That prediction reflects his belief in the potential of the Ferrari project, while also reinforcing his argument that the organisation requires stability and clear leadership to make the most of its technical resources.
For Vanzini, the significance of Austin therefore extended well beyond Charles Leclerc’s podium and Lewis Hamilton’s fourth place. The result showed encouraging progress, but the broader challenge remains unchanged: Ferrari must combine effective race execution, technical development and a stable management structure to become a regular contender for victories and championships.
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