Ferrari second force, but what a gap to McLaren
The second half of the 2024 season had already foreshadowed the competitive order we are seeing in 2025: McLaren as the clear leading force thanks to the exceptional quality of work by Andrea Stella’s team, while Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull found themselves playing catch-up. Reality has even surpassed the most optimistic forecasts from Woking, as the papaya team dominated the first 14 races of the season, taking 11 victories.
McLaren is set not only to secure the Constructors’ Championship—potentially clinching it with a record-early seven Grand Prix after the summer break—but barring any major mistakes from their driver pairing of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, they are also on course to take the Drivers’ Championship, a title that has eluded them since 2008. The rest of the field is left with podium finishes and a tough lesson to apply for all the aspects that will still play a role ahead of the major technical overhaul in 2026. Ferrari is already focusing strongly on that pivotal year, as confirmed by team principal Frédéric Vasseur.
Fred Vasseur’s words
“McLaren is doing a fantastic job, but they don’t have a secret weapon that gives them two or three tenths,” Fred Vasseur told Auto Motor und Sport. “Rather, they have ten areas where they gain twenty thousandths each. We need to maintain our approach, which is to improve everywhere. It would be naive to believe that a single person could suddenly perform a miracle for us. Magic doesn’t exist. But with this work, we are on the right track.”
A wide-open 2026
“No one can predict what will happen with a regulation overhaul of this kind,” Fred Vasseur added when discussing the upcoming 2026 rules. “In 2009, nobody imagined that Brawn GP, coming from nowhere with its double diffuser, would outpace everyone by four tenths. This time, the rule changes are even bigger: they will affect the chassis, engine, fuel, tyres, and sporting regulations. In each of these areas, a team can make a difference. Regarding the engine, a new challenge awaits us. Currently, power is decisive; next year, drivability will be key. An engine might perform well at Monza, another at Monte Carlo or Budapest. It’s almost like the old days when turbo engines raced against naturally aspirated engines. This uncertainty makes the next season very exciting for spectators. Suppose someone gains half a second from better tyre management or a chassis flaw: it will be hard to compensate for it with a superior engine.” – the French manager concluded.
With this vision, Frédéric Vasseur underscores Ferrari’s methodical approach: focusing on gradual improvements across all aspects of the car while preparing for the dramatic technical changes of 2026, which promise to shake up the competitive order and deliver thrilling action for fans around the world.
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