The Ferrari team principal believes the next technical cycle will reward teams’ development and recovery abilities
F1 2026: mobile hierarchies
With two wins in the first three races of the 2022 season, Ferrari fans had expected that the return to ground-effect cars would immediately see the Scuderia rise back to the top of Formula 1. Those early flashes of speed, however, were not followed by consistent results or effective upgrades. Red Bull quickly closed the gap and laid the foundations for the championship victories in the following years, while Ferrari underwent major changes: the team appointed a new team principal, reshuffled key figures in the technical department, and made changes to the driver lineup, ultimately achieving only ten wins during the last technical cycle.
Now that Formula 1 is approaching the 2026 regulation revolution, the question arises whether Ferrari will at least start the season strongly as it did under Mattia Binotto’s leadership. The team principal Frederic Vasseur, however, warns that the hierarchies for 2026 will not be determined by the pre-season tests or the opening Grand Prix in Melbourne. In fact, he has no hesitation in emphasizing that development will outweigh a strong start.
Fred Vasseur’s words
“We are focused on our project, we are developing it, pushing ourselves to the limit, and trying to do our very best. Certainly, the more time we dedicate to the project, the better the results will be. But I don’t know if McLaren, Red Bull, or Alpine are ahead of us. No one knows that,” Fred Vasseur said in Abu Dhabi.
“I think the most important thing is not to waste time trying to figure out if the others are ahead or behind. We will only find out in Barcelona, or more likely in Australia. Another point to consider is that next year the hierarchies will not be defined from Melbourne. Development and the ability to grow quickly will be extremely important. After Melbourne, the season will certainly not be over, no matter where we are. It will be a long road for everyone.” – the French manager pointed out.
For a team desperate to end nearly two decades without a drivers’ crown, the message is clear: patience and progress, not just a perfect launch, will define success in the new Formula 1 era.
