The Japan Grand Prix qualifying at Suzuka saw Ferrari still trailing Mercedes, though also beaten by an improving McLaren. The SF-26 benefits from excellent chassis and aerodynamic qualities, but the engine deficit is evident. The Scuderia showed good potential, particularly in Q2, but could not maximize performance in Q3. Frederic Vasseur analyzed the limits shown over a single lap, emphasizing how energy management and extracting the maximum from the car remain key factors, while immediately focusing on Sunday’s race.
Ferrari: good potential confirmed, but Q3 still challenging
Fred Vasseur pointed out that Ferrari’s performance isn’t solely about raw speed, but also about making the most of the available package. “If we look at today’s qualifying, it’s not just about energy management or pure performance, it’s also about how we extract the best from the car we have. We did better in Q2 than in Q3, and that’s what we need to understand tonight.”
Despite this, the priority remains the race: “We have to focus on tomorrow’s race because the race happens on Sunday, not Saturday. Let’s focus on the start and then aim for a strong race with a solid strategy.”
Hamilton and the challenges of Suzuka
Analyzing Lewis Hamilton’s performance, after a positive start to the season, the Englishman appeared more challenged here. Fred Vasseur clarified, highlighting the complexity of the current rules. “Much of it comes from energy management: not delivering too much in certain corners and not hitting the throttle too early. Sometimes it’s counterintuitive, but the rules are like this, and we have to adapt. We reach a certain point in qualifying, and that means we need to do better in the future to put together the best lap in Q3.”
Looking ahead to tomorrow, Frederic Vasseur reaffirmed Ferrari’s ambition to aim for victory: “When you’re on the grid, you always want to achieve the best.” Among the SF-26’s strengths seen so far are the start and the pace with a full fuel load. “With these regulations, the start is always a bit chaotic. In previous races, it allowed us to recover and fight with Mercedes, even if not for too long. When we lose overtake mode, it becomes harder.” Encouragingly, race pace signals remain positive: “The race pace yesterday looked quite good. We’ll see tomorrow.”
Reflecting on the season so far and future developments
Fred Vasseur assessed the start of the season as positive but not entirely satisfying. “Yes and no. No, because the goal is to get on the podium and win races. We have a performance deficit compared to Mercedes, and that’s clear. Overall we’re not too far off, and we are scoring many points.”
He then clarified Ferrari’s plan: maximize points while waiting for technical developments. Pending the ADUO ruling and the possibility of introducing a new engine, the Team Principal made Ferrari’s focus clear: “We have to get the maximum points possible each weekend, while continuing good work on development. From Miami, it will probably be another championship.”
The Mercedes wing controversy
It was inevitable that the Mercedes front wing topic would arise ahead of the Suzuka weekend. As anticipated, Ferrari requested clarifications immediately, but Fred Vasseur was asked why the team did not file a protest directly. “We didn’t see it live, only during our analysis, and there was no time to protest. But I don’t want to create polemics and prefer to focus only on our team.”
Frédéric Vasseur is therefore positioning Ferrari for a strategic defensive game at Suzuka before launching a full-scale assault in the coming rounds. Based on the content of his post-qualifying analysis, the Scuderia is banking on the “Miami reset” to bridge the gap to Mercedes and turn the 2026 season into a genuine two-team fight for the title.
