Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has shared his thoughts following the Australian Grand Prix, where Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton secured third and fourth place for the Scuderia. While Mercedes dominated the race, Ferrari completed the first round of the 2026 Formula 1 season as the clear second force on the grid.
Some had speculated that Ferrari could have challenged for a double podium if the team had brought the cars in during the first Virtual Safety Car (VSC), triggered by Isack Hadjar‘s retirement on lap 12. However, Fred Vasseur believes that even stopping Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at that stage wouldn’t have made a difference against the Mercedes cars.
Vasseur on Ferrari’s strategy
“I don’t have a crystal ball, but I don’t think it would have changed anything,” Fred Vasseur explained in an interview with Sky Sport F1. “At that point in the race, no one expected to pit. We wanted to run longer and make our first stop later. Then we were unlucky with the second VSC on lap 19 for Valtteri Bottas’s retirement, which closed the pit lane. But it is what it is. It was a great race and a solid starting point. We know where we stand compared to them, and we have a lot of work ahead.”
Fred Vasseur added that the gap to Mercedes was bigger earlier in the weekend but stressed that Ferrari still has room for improvement: “Yesterday the gap to Mercedes was larger, but I’m not sure we did the best we could. We need to correct these small errors in China. I estimate the gap at about half a second, although it depends on the track. There are several areas to improve before the next race and throughout the season.”
Focus on development
Looking ahead, Fred Vasseur emphasized that the team’s priority is ongoing car development rather than focusing solely on immediate results: “I said before that Melbourne’s snapshot doesn’t matter. What’s important is our ability to improve and strengthen the car. Soon, we’ll introduce a significant chassis update, but we also need to work on the power unit and energy management. This applies to us, but all the teams will continue developing too. I’m not blind—Mercedes will probably improve as well—but our focus must remain on ourselves.” – the Ferrari team boss pointed out.
While Ferrari starts the 2026 season in a strong position as the main challenger to Mercedes, Fred Vasseur’s comments underline that podium finishes alone are not enough: the team must continue evolving to challenge for wins.
Fred Vasseur’s balanced assessment therefore suggests that while Ferrari missed out on a potential double podium due to VSC timing, the fundamental pace deficit to Mercedes remains the primary obstacle for the Scuderia. By pinpointing energy management and chassis updates as the immediate priorities, the French manager has signaled that the 2026 title race is far from decided, provided Maranello can outpace Brackley in the upcoming development cycle.
