Ferrari heads into qualifying for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix with renewed optimism after Charles Leclerc topped both Friday practice sessions, but team principal Fred Vasseur has warned against drawing premature conclusions. The SF-26 has shown encouraging performance in both qualifying simulations and longer runs, although changing track conditions, Lewis Hamilton’s technical setback and the potential strength of Mercedes and Red Bull mean Ferrari cannot yet consider itself the favourite for pole position.
Charles Leclerc’s performances in FP1 and FP2 provided an excellent starting point for the Scuderia, confirming that the SF-26 is competitive at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. However, Ferrari is well aware that Friday’s results do not necessarily establish the pecking order for the remainder of the weekend, particularly at a circuit where conditions can change significantly between sessions.
Ferrari’s Mexico GP pace impresses, but track evolution remains a concern
Friday’s running offered only an initial indication of the competitive picture. Mexico City’s high altitude creates unusual conditions for both the cars and drivers, while the track surface is expected to evolve as the weekend progresses.
This could prove particularly significant for teams that struggled to find the correct operating window during the opening practice sessions. As grip levels improve, Ferrari’s rivals may be able to recover some of the performance they appeared to lack on Friday, potentially reducing the advantage enjoyed by Charles Leclerc.
There is also the technical problem that disrupted Lewis Hamilton’s programme. The British driver encountered an issue that affected his running, introducing an additional element of uncertainty into Ferrari’s assessment of the day. The team will need to investigate what happened and ensure that no further complications arise during the remaining sessions.
The weekend had already presented questions about how the Ferrari SF-26 would adapt to the particular demands of Mexico City, making Friday’s encouraging performance an important development without offering any guarantees for qualifying.
Fred Vasseur acknowledges Ferrari’s potential but urges caution
Speaking to F1TV after the opening two practice sessions, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged the positive signs while making it clear that the Italian team still had considerable work to complete.
“We are still at the beginning and we know that Mexico is a challenge, both because of the altitude for the car and because the drivers need to find the limit. That’s how it is, but the situation is the same for everyone, and tonight we will have to work hard to improve the car.”
His comments reflect Ferrari’s measured approach to the weekend. The SF-26 has demonstrated encouraging competitiveness, but that does not remove the need for further setup adjustments, particularly given the unusual conditions experienced on Friday.
Fred Vasseur was nevertheless pleased with how quickly the car had shown its potential, particularly because its competitiveness was evident almost immediately during the opening session.
“The pace was there from this morning in FP1. From the very first lap, we had pace on the long runs and also over a single lap, so that means we need to work on the finer details. We still have a lot of work to do on the setup and the car because the conditions have been quite extreme.”
The reference to long-run performance is especially encouraging for Ferrari. The team showed promising consistency during its race simulations, suggesting that its competitiveness was not limited to individual fast laps.
However, Friday’s performance cannot be treated as a definitive measure of race pace. Track conditions will continue to change, and competing teams will have opportunities to address the weaknesses identified during practice. The differences between individual practice runs can be examined through the F1 practice and long-run analysis, which provides additional context for comparing performance across sessions.
Mercedes, Red Bull and qualifying remain Ferrari’s biggest uncertainties
The central question for Ferrari is whether its encouraging Friday performance can be reproduced when qualifying begins. The Scuderia has frequently demonstrated competitive race pace, but achieving the same level of performance over a single lap against Mercedes-powered cars and Red Bull can prove more difficult.
The power available from rival power units, particularly along the straights, is an important factor that Ferrari cannot overlook. As teams refine their setups and the circuit evolves, the gaps observed during practice may not accurately reflect the final qualifying order.
Mexico City’s altitude also influences power-unit behaviour and aerodynamic efficiency, placing additional importance on preparation and setup choices. Ferrari must find the right compromise while determining how much of its Friday advantage can be carried into Saturday’s competitive running.
Mercedes and Red Bull may not yet have demonstrated their full potential. Improvements in track conditions could allow their engineers to make more effective setup adjustments, while straight-line performance could become increasingly important once differences in preparation are reduced.
These concerns are consistent with Fred Vasseur’s earlier warning about the cooling and grip challenges facing Ferrari in Mexico. The team must balance the encouraging performance already demonstrated with the possibility that its closest competitors could improve significantly.
Fred Vasseur warns Ferrari against focusing on the timesheets
Rather than making optimistic predictions about pole position, Fred Vasseur concluded his assessment by emphasising the importance of concentrating on Ferrari’s own work.
“You know that every weekend the competition is extremely close. Last year, there was half a tenth between second and sixth place, and you can go from being a hero to nothing. Let’s focus on ourselves, not think about the classification, and try to do the best we can with what we have available.”
That warning explains why Ferrari is maintaining a cautious approach despite leading both Friday sessions. Charles Leclerc has demonstrated that the SF-26 can be competitive, but practice results do not award points or establish the definitive competitive order.
Before Ferrari can draw meaningful conclusions, it must navigate qualifying, assess how the car responds to a more developed track surface and discover how much performance its rivals can extract from their packages.
The Italian team has made an encouraging start to the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend. However, Fred Vasseur understands that translating Friday’s speed into a competitive result will require further work, particularly if the margins between Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull become as narrow as he expects.
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