Ferrari will resume its pursuit of Mercedes and Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Zandvoort as the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship returns from the summer break. With both titles still mathematically within reach, Fred Vasseur has made Ferrari’s approach clear ahead of the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix Sprint weekend: focus on one race at a time and make the most of every opportunity.
The championship restarts in the Netherlands after a disappointing Hungarian Grand Prix for Ferrari. The Maranello team had hoped to challenge for a one-two finish in Budapest, but neither Lewis Hamilton nor Charles Leclerc managed to reach the podium before Formula 1 entered its summer break.
Ferrari resumes its chase of Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton currently sits second in the Drivers’ Championship, exactly 50 points behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc is fourth in the standings. In the Constructors’ Championship, the Ferrari team led by Fred Vasseur has an even larger deficit to overcome, with Mercedes holding a 72-point advantage.
It is far from an easy task, particularly with the championship now entering its second half. However, Fred Vasseur has urged Ferrari not to become distracted by the bigger picture and instead to approach the remaining races individually.
Fred Vasseur sets Ferrari’s approach for the 2026 Dutch GP
“Zandvoort marks the start of the second part of the season: our approach remains the same, to take one race at a time and focus on ourselves,” Fred Vasseur said. “We have recharged our batteries and are ready for what we expect to be very close competition.”
The Sprint format will increase the pressure on Ferrari and its rivals because the teams will have only one practice session before Sprint Qualifying. That leaves significantly less time to perfect the car set-up and understand conditions around the demanding Dutch circuit.
“As always with the Sprint format, we will have only one free practice session before Sprint Qualifying, which makes preparation and getting everything right from the opening laps even more important,” Fred Vasseur continued. “Zandvoort is a challenging track for both the drivers and the cars, and our goal will be to put ourselves in the best possible position to make the most of the opportunities that come our way.” – the French manager pointed out.
Ferrari aims to improve its recent Zandvoort record
Historically, Ferrari is the most successful Formula 1 team at Zandvoort, with eight victories at the Dutch circuit. The picture has been very different since the track returned to the championship in 2021, however.
Ferrari has collected only two podium finishes at Zandvoort since then, both courtesy of Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque finished third in 2022 and repeated that result in 2024, leaving Ferrari without a victory at the circuit during Formula 1’s modern return to the Netherlands.
That makes this weekend an important opportunity to improve those recent statistics, especially with additional championship points available through the Sprint. It will also be Ferrari’s final opportunity to win at Zandvoort before the historic circuit, located around 30 kilometres from Amsterdam, leaves the Formula 1 calendar after the 2026 season.
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