Fréd Vasseur, Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari, commented on the result achieved by the team in qualifying for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, while also sending a warning to Mercedes: “We are confident for tomorrow…”
The Ferrari team secured third and fourth positions with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc respectively at the end of the qualifying session. Speaking to the media, Fred Vasseur highlighted the team’s solid performance and also cautioned Mercedes about the potential challenge in the race ahead.
During an interview with Sky Sport F1, Fréd Vasseur appeared quite satisfied with the qualifying outcome. Being just behind the two Mercedes drivers is the main objective for Ferrari. At one point in Q3, the McLaren team nearly disrupted the Italian team’s rhythm, but fortunately, both Ferrari drivers performed at their best. There were no issues with energy deployment, and the setup proved very effective in utilizing the full aerodynamic load of the SF-26. Fred Vasseur also addressed the positive rivalry between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, highlighting its beneficial impact on performance.
Vasseur: “The numbers speak for themselves: eight tenths in Australia, six yesterday, and now four”
“It is complex to base a definitive statistic on single events, but the numbers speak for themselves,” Fred Vasseur said. “We were eight tenths behind in Australia, six tenths yesterday, and today the gap has decreased to four. This shows we are heading in the right direction. We notice a convergence of performance between us and the leaders, even though their advantage on the straights remains visible. In the Sprint Race, we managed to fight for a few laps, but our goal for tomorrow is to stay in their slipstream much longer. We are confident that tire management will be better tomorrow because we now understand the track’s behavior much more thoroughly.”
The Ferrari Team Principal emphasized how the team is continually refining the car’s performance on a single lap. The SF-26 seen today is the result of extensive work on setup, with major optimization of the aerodynamic package. While Ferrari still loses time on the straights, the improvements in battery management have been substantial. In race conditions, the SF-26 appears to be more competitive, especially in battles where close racing is required. During the Sprint, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had excellent starts, and if a similar scenario occurs in the race, we could see both Ferraris leading into turn 1. The rivalry between the two drivers is excellent news, underlining that the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has returned to a competitive form.
“The start has been one of our strengths so far, but our rivals are improving quickly. If we progress in qualifying, they make gains in other areas. We don’t expect to gain two or three positions on every start, but we will try to maximize every inch,” Fred Vasseur added. Regarding the rivalry between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, he commented: “The duel between Charles and Lewis in the Sprint? You always have to manage situations like this when two cars start side by side. I think this applies to all teams and all drivers. They are professionals. I believe it is good for us to have two lead drivers who motivate each other. It is part of their performance, and it has been like this since the beginning of the season.”
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