Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton can put pressure on Max Verstappen in the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix after an impressive Saturday at Marina Bay. Following a double podium in the Sprint, Ferrari secured second and third positions in Grand Prix qualifying, giving the Maranello team two cars immediately behind the Red Bull driver and a valuable opportunity to fight for the best possible race result.
Ferrari enjoyed one of its strongest Saturdays of the season in Singapore. Lewis Hamilton finished second in the Sprint, with Charles Leclerc third, before the two drivers reversed their positions in qualifying. The SF-26 proved competitive throughout the day, although the team could still feel some frustration at missing a pole position that appeared within reach. Nevertheless, Fred Vasseur welcomed the performances of both drivers and the opportunities their starting positions could create for Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Fred Vasseur praises Ferrari’s Singapore Sprint and qualifying performance
Ferrari’s strong form at the Marina Bay Street Circuit provided encouragement for Fred Vasseur, who highlighted the consistency demonstrated by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton across both competitive sessions.
“It was a positive day for the team: we achieved a good result in the Sprint and then confirmed our competitiveness in qualifying, with our drivers consistently among the fastest from Q1 to Q3,” Fred Vasseur explained.
The result was particularly encouraging because Ferrari managed to maintain its competitiveness across two different sessions. After securing second and third in the Sprint, the team repeated those positions in Grand Prix qualifying, reinforcing its position among the leading contenders at Singapore.
The performance also followed the challenges Ferrari had anticipated before arriving at Marina Bay. Fred Vasseur had previously highlighted the importance of making the most of the limited preparation time available during the Sprint weekend, with only one free practice session before competitive running began. Those concerns were outlined in his assessment of Ferrari’s Singapore Sprint weekend challenges.
Fred Vasseur sees a strong starting position for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
Fred Vasseur was equally pleased with the individual performances of Ferrari’s drivers, particularly Charles Leclerc’s decisive final qualifying lap and Lewis Hamilton’s ability to remain in contention for pole position until the closing stages.
“Charles completed an excellent final lap to take second position, and Lewis also remained in contention for pole until his final attempt. Starting from second and third on the grid is certainly a good foundation, but what matters is tomorrow’s race,” the Ferrari team principal said.
Charles Leclerc will therefore start alongside Max Verstappen on the front row, while Lewis Hamilton will line up immediately behind in third position.
For Ferrari, having both drivers so close to the front is especially valuable at a circuit where track position can play an important role. The characteristics of Marina Bay, including its demanding braking zones and emphasis on low-speed traction, have been central to the team’s preparations. These challenges are explored in the Marina Bay circuit analysis of Ferrari’s traction and straight-line speed requirements.
Although the qualifying result left Ferrari narrowly short of pole position, the positions secured by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton provide a promising foundation for the Grand Prix.
Fred Vasseur believes Ferrari can put pressure on Max Verstappen
Looking ahead to the Singapore Grand Prix, Fred Vasseur acknowledged the opportunity Ferrari has to use both cars against Max Verstappen, who has been in excellent form with Red Bull.
The Ferrari team principal’s assessment followed a similar line of thinking to that expressed by Lewis Hamilton, with the Maranello team aware of the potential advantages of having two drivers near the front of the grid.
“We have a lot of data to analyse and we will evaluate every detail. With both cars in the leading positions, we will have the opportunity to put pressure on Max (Verstappen) and fight to achieve the best possible result as a team,” Fred Vasseur explained.
The comments underline Ferrari’s determination to approach the race with both drivers in contention rather than focusing exclusively on their individual qualifying results.
Having Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton starting second and third gives Ferrari additional flexibility when considering its race strategy. Depending on how the Grand Prix develops, the team could have opportunities to respond to Red Bull’s decisions or use the positioning of its two cars to apply pressure.
However, Fred Vasseur made clear that Ferrari still has considerable work to complete before the race. Analysing the available data and evaluating every detail will be essential if the team is to maximise the opportunities created by its strong qualifying performance.
Ferrari extends Constructors’ Championship advantage over McLaren
Ferrari’s successful Singapore Sprint also brought an important benefit in the Constructors’ Championship.
Following the points scored by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the Sprint, Ferrari now holds a 101-point advantage over McLaren in the battle for second place in the standings.
Red Bull, meanwhile, is 112 points behind Ferrari and has increasingly set its sights on McLaren following its improved performances in recent races.
The evolving championship battle adds further significance to Ferrari’s Singapore weekend. The team has strengthened its position ahead of McLaren while also demonstrating the competitiveness required to challenge Max Verstappen at the front of the field.
The differences between Ferrari and its closest constructors can be explored through the Ferrari vs F1 rivals statistics, which compares championship points, qualifying results and race performances throughout the 2026 season.
With a double podium already secured in the Sprint and both cars starting immediately behind Max Verstappen for the Grand Prix, Ferrari has given itself a promising opportunity to complete a strong Singapore weekend.
For Fred Vasseur, however, Saturday’s results are only the starting point. The priority now is to convert Ferrari’s competitiveness into the best possible result on Sunday, using the presence of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton near the front to challenge Red Bull.
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