Fred Vasseur calls for calm: “It’s still very early, there’s plenty to analyze and improve”. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur urges calm after the Barcelona shakedown.

The Ferrari team principal highlighted the reliability of the SF-26 seen in Barcelona.

Positive signs?

Certainly, Mercedes looked like an unstoppable force from the very first kilometres on track and it was no coincidence that the German team completed the highest number of laps overall, with an impressive total of 500. However, right behind the Silver Arrows were the two Ferrari cars driven by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who together reached the remarkable figure of 440 laps completed. This is a significant result, especially when considering that Red Bull remained around the 300-lap mark, while McLaren stopped close to 290.

Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton appeared smiling and relaxed during their interviews with F1TV, something that can be interpreted as a positive signal – even more so than the British driver’s fastest overall lap time. That said, both Ferrari drivers were careful not to make any bold judgments or predictions regarding the competitive order on track.

Vasseur’s comments

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur shared his thoughts at the end of the Barcelona shakedown through the Scuderia’s official press release: “It has been a long but overall productive week. We faced different conditions, from wet to dry, and managed to complete a significant amount of mileage every day, which is something fundamental at this stage in order to gather data and check the car’s reliability. We did not encounter any major issues, and this is another important aspect. It is still very early and there is a lot to analyze in order to improve. Now we return to Maranello to work on what we have learned this week and prepare for the Bahrain tests, which will be more representative.”

Fred Vasseur’s measured response to Ferrari’s strong showing in Barcelona underscores a team focused on long-term stability rather than early headlines. While the SF-26’s 440 laps and Lewis Hamilton’s headline pace suggest a car that is “born well” for the 2026 regulations, the French manager’s call for calm reminds us that the true battle begins with the analytical work back at Maranello. By prioritizing reliability and consistent data collection over three days of varying weather, the Scuderia has secured a solid technical baseline that will be crucial for the upcoming official tests in Bahrain. This disciplined approach ensures that Ferrari heads into the next phase of the pre-season with a reliable platform and a clear development roadmap, positioning them as a steady and prepared contender for the start of the new era.