Carlo Vanzini has explained how Ferrari currently finds itself at a genuine technical crossroads in terms of its 2026 development direction, while the frustration of Charles Leclerc continues to grow following a weekend in Miami marked by both remarkable performance and a costly mistake.
The Sky Sport F1 commentator reflected on Ferrari’s overall performance and, in particular, on Charles Leclerc’s race in Miami. The error made by the Monegasque driver proved expensive, but according to Vanzini, the Ferrari driver should not feel guilty, especially considering the circumstances in which he is operating. At the same time, the Italian journalist shed light on the important technical decision now facing the Scuderia from Maranello.
The Prancing Horse, through the words of team principal Fréd Vasseur, appears confident that it can obtain the ADUO concessions. However, Vasseur has taken a cautious approach, urging the Federation to carefully evaluate the clear lack of competitiveness on the straights. The question remains: how could Ferrari not be granted these concessions? The data used for these evaluations is extremely complex, so much so that even Toto Wolff is not entirely reassured. The Mercedes team boss has even hinted at the possibility of a shift in the competitive order. Nevertheless, there is still work to be done before June.
At present, Ferrari finds itself behind not only Mercedes-powered teams but also McLaren, while Red Bull, led by Max Verstappen, is already firmly ahead. Leclerc made a mistake during the race, but that does not erase what had been an outstanding weekend up to that point.
Vanzini: “Maybe they don’t want to irritate the Federation”
“I don’t know if Ferrari is a bit worried about the ADUO, or maybe they know that engine development will not be significant enough to close the gap, I don’t know. Maybe they don’t want to irritate the Federation. Leclerc is the only one who has effectively invited himself to take part in the Mercedes championship, despite not having a Mercedes engine.”
On the strategy involving Oscar Piastri, he added: “He saw it as the only way to secure third place, then he made a mistake which led to the 20-second penalty. In my opinion, he should not apologise, because someone who is performing at that level, in a position where he should not even be, has already said everything.”
The fact that the Monegasque driver is capable of putting pressure on cars that have a 30-horsepower advantage demonstrates that he can do nothing more than give his absolute maximum on every occasion. This is the view expressed by Carlo Vanzini on his YouTube channel.
Charles Leclerc’s intelligence behind the wheel is exceptional, particularly in terms of energy management, which has been close to perfect. However, the frustration and sense of helplessness caused by not being able to do more can sometimes lead to mistakes.
Federico Albano, analyst for FormulaPassion.it, did not fully absolve the Ferrari driver of responsibility for the error, but he clearly understood the reasons behind it: “We are not here to absolve Charles Leclerc of his mistakes, but it is difficult not to understand the frustration of a driver who went from leading the race to being completely unable to defend himself against the competition, unless by inventing creative strategies that sometimes work and sometimes turn into costly errors.”
Ferrari now hopes that engine updates will arrive as soon as possible and, above all, that they will deliver the performance gains needed to change the course of the season.
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