Ferrari is approaching the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season without either world championship, bringing John Elkann’s long-standing title target into renewed focus and increasing the scrutiny surrounding Fred Vasseur. Despite renewed optimism earlier in the year, including Lewis Hamilton’s victory in Barcelona, the Scuderia will not fulfil the championship ambition its chairman outlined four years ago.
In 2022, Elkann made competitiveness Ferrari’s primary objective and expressed confidence that the team would win both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships between then and 2026. His remarks, which were recirculated by Italian outlet Top Speed ahead of this season, were framed around ending Ferrari’s long wait for Formula 1’s biggest prizes before the drought reached two decades.
That objective has not been achieved. Ferrari’s last Drivers’ Championship remains Kimi Räikkönen’s 2007 success, while its most recent Constructors’ crown came in 2008. The failure to convert the 2026 campaign into a title challenge has therefore intensified questions over who will ultimately carry responsibility for the latest disappointment.
Fred Vasseur could face consequences for Ferrari’s missed target
Fred Vasseur is again at the centre of that debate. Ferrari has publicly backed its team principal despite persistent speculation over his future, but previous events at Maranello demonstrate that such assurances do not necessarily guarantee long-term security. Mattia Binotto left the team only weeks after receiving public backing from Ferrari’s senior leadership, a precedent that has resurfaced during the latest discussion over Fred Vasseur’s position.
Jacques Villeneuve has also questioned Ferrari’s management structure. The 1997 world champion argued that Vasseur does not possess the same degree of authority enjoyed by Toto Wolff at Mercedes, where the team principal also has an ownership stake and considerably greater control over major decisions. That lack of complete autonomy, in Villeneuve’s assessment, is an important difference when judging Ferrari’s results.
Vasseur retains support from his drivers, with Charles Leclerc having emphasised the Frenchman’s importance to the organisation. Nevertheless, uncertainty remains around the longer-term direction of the team, even after Ferrari moved to clarify Fred Vasseur’s future ahead of the crucial 2027 campaign.
Christian Horner speculation adds another layer to Ferrari uncertainty
Christian Horner continues to be linked with Maranello as speculation grows over what Ferrari could do next. The former Red Bull team principal has been presented as a possible successor if the Scuderia decides to make a leadership change, although questions remain over whether the level of control available at Ferrari would suit Christian Horner.
The pressure is not limited to management. Charles Leclerc has indicated that his longer-term future depends on being able to compete at the front under the current technical regulations, while Lewis Hamilton is in the later stages of his Formula 1 career. With such a high-profile driver pairing, Ferrari’s inability to turn its resources into a championship has only sharpened scrutiny of the entire operation.
For now, Vasseur remains the team principal and continues to receive public support. But with the 2026 title objective no longer achievable, attention will inevitably turn towards the decisions Ferrari makes for 2027. The balance of authority within Ferrari’s Formula 1 structure is likely to remain central to that discussion, particularly if another management change is considered.
Changing the team principal alone would not remove the expectations created at the very top of Ferrari. If the Scuderia again enters a new season chasing the championship that has eluded it for so long, the pressure to deliver will extend beyond Vasseur and towards the leadership responsible for setting Ferrari’s sporting objectives.
