Ferrari started the 2026 season positively, securing a podium with Charles Leclerc and a strong fourth-place finish for Lewis Hamilton in the opening race in Australia. The SF-26’s chassis and aerodynamics proved once again to be solid, reflecting the excellent work done over the winter. The power unit, however, remains a point to fully understand, particularly in energy management, where Mercedes currently has the upper hand. After Melbourne, there were fears that Brackley’s advantage could already “decide” the championship, but that is not the case. The season will be shaped by development progress and optimization of the PU.
Vasseur points the way to a championship challenge
After the first GP, Fréd Vasseur spoke to AutoHebdo about the team’s performance and whether he was satisfied with the result. “Yes, because I think we came here knowing there was a gap to close. So I’m quite satisfied with that. And then we also managed to bounce back in the race after disappointing qualifying,” he explained. The Frenchman discussed the gap to the W17 in qualifying and whether it represented the real difference. “Mercedes was faster than us, but I don’t think it was eight tenths—they were rather three or four. It’s the start of the season. It’s up to us to progress and not repeat the same mistakes. Maybe it also depended on the track characteristics, which is one of the most demanding circuits of the year in terms of energy. Perhaps that’s why we struggled in qualifying. But we’ll see in China, where conditions will be completely different. Energy deployment is different. There should also be about twenty degrees cooler.”
The superiority of Mercedes was well-known, even though the German team had hidden their pace until the second practice session in Australia. “From the Bahrain tests, we had already noticed that there were some laps where they really pushed. They never did it on new tyres, but we saw the potential. If I was disappointed, it was mainly because in many aspects we weren’t at the level expected. There was frustration because I really felt there was room to do better than fourth and seventh. That’s why I was disappointed—not to chase Russell, but because there was more to gain. In the race, it was better anyway. So, quite happy with Sunday.”
Strong race performance despite challenges
On Sunday, the SF-26 again impressed with a strong start, allowing Leclerc to take the lead and Hamilton to move closer to the front. “We shouldn’t expect it to be like this every Sunday. There will be races where starts will be more complicated. But this is a feature of our engine architecture (Ferrari opted for a smaller turbo, which builds pressure faster at starts). We made these choices at the start for good reasons.”
Regarding the supposed advantage over Red Bull and McLaren during the race, Fred Vasseur added: “I think we’re somewhere in the middle. It will depend on sessions, circuits, and conditions. For now, Mercedes is a few tenths faster, and we were a few tenths faster than Red Bull and McLaren. But we need to be careful, because everyone will progress very quickly. You can see performance swings of three or four tenths in either direction. Don’t assume it will stay the same all year. I hope Mercedes doesn’t remain ahead, but we can all make significant gains quickly.”
Energy management remains crucial
Melbourne was one of the most challenging tracks for energy management, where Ferrari would be expected to struggle the most. “I don’t think Melbourne suited us best, at least in terms of energy. But we shouldn’t have preconceived ideas. The car is different from last year, and what we liked last year might not work this year. We’ll see after China and Japan. With three different circuits and three types of tyres, we’ll have a clearer view. We struggled a bit at the start, then recovered quite well. But we are still in a discovery phase. Until now, we had mainly driven in Bahrain. Each track has its peculiarities. In Bahrain, all the straights are preceded by heavy braking, so energy recharges a lot. In Melbourne, there’s a sector of about 29-30 seconds where you almost never stop—something quite extreme. We might see a similar situation in Japan. China will be closer to Bahrain, with heavy braking at the end of the straight.”
Strategy and Mercedes’ race pace
Fred Vasseur also addressed the race strategy that sparked debate, as Ferrari seemed to have compromised a possible fight with Mercedes. “Honestly, I don’t think it was wrong because Mercedes’ pace was better than ours. We could be a bit above the limit for fifteen laps at the start, but over a 43-lap stint, it was hard to resist. I also think Mercedes planned to stop a second time. But tyre degradation was very low, so they could go to the end. If we had stopped with them, we wouldn’t have been able to do 43 laps pushing so hard. They were three or four tenths faster than us in the race. We could hold them back for ten laps, but not much longer.”
When asked if the gap to the W17 was purely down to the engine, including debates on compression ratio, Fred Vasseur explained: “You can’t really separate chassis and engine. Where they were better than us at the start of the weekend was clearly in energy delivery. The engine plays a big role too, but in a project you always compromise between chassis and engine. We made some choices from the beginning. So you can’t just compare pure performance. Between McLaren, Alpine, and Williams on one side, and Mercedes on the other, you can see that the engines are the same, but energy management is different. It’s mainly a matter of settings.” – the French manager pointed out.
Upcoming developments on the SF-26
Regarding future updates for the SF-26, Fred Vasseur said: “Nothing will come in China. We’ll have a little for Japan, then normally a lot for Bahrain. Finally, for the fourth race. But we don’t yet know which one! (Considering the conflict in the Middle East).” Autoracer confirmed Ferrari will bring the reverse wing again in China to close the gap to Mercedes, although it won’t be an evolved version compared to the pre-season tests in Bahrain. On expectations for Shanghai: “I think it will be completely different, especially in terms of energy and temperature. Don’t forget last year’s issues, like tyre management, still exist. For now everyone is focused on energy, but other problems haven’t disappeared. China could be tricky: very cold, even more than last year. Last year there was already a lot of graining, and I think it will be the same this year.”
Driver performance and calm expectations
One of the most positive factors from the weekend was the performance of Leclerc and Hamilton, with the British driver appearing in his best form since the 2025 disappointment. Fred Vasseur urged patience: “You have to judge over the long term. Last year, after China, everyone thought it would be the season of his life. But I feel he is more in harmony with the car, with the overall balance, with everything. So it’s better to start on these foundations, have both cars scoring points, and have a healthy rivalry between them, pushing each other—in a good way!”
Finally, on the new addition to Hamilton’s garage, Cédric Michel-Grosjean, and whether he will soon become the seven-time world champion’s race engineer: “Not for the moment. He is joining the team initially. I’m not saying it won’t happen, because I think he’s a good recruit and could get along with Lewis, so it could become the plan. But today, Carlo Santi works with Lewis and is doing very well. We’ll make the decision together, but there’s no urgency.”
As the F1 circus moves to Shanghai, the focus shifts from pure energy deployment to tire graining and cold-weather management. Fred Vasseur’s calm demeanor suggests that Ferrari is playing the long game, banking on the SF-26’s mechanical strengths and its drivers’ elite form to reel in Mercedes. With the “reverse wing” making a comeback and a more favorable energy-harvesting layout in China, the battle between Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and the Silver Arrows is only just beginning.
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