F1 | Ferrari eyes Abu Dhabi as crucial step for 2026: Vasseur’s focus
The final round of the 2025 Formula 1 season takes the championship battle to Yas Marina. While some teams are fighting for the title, Ferrari has little at stake in the standings. Having secured fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, Frédéric Vasseur and the Scuderia team are focusing on finishing the Abu Dhabi weekend strong, with an eye on the post-season tests that will be key for 2026.
The Ferrari team principal insists on keeping the team’s focus sharp ahead of the last race of the year. Fred Vasseur wants to end a challenging season for the Italian squad on a positive note, capping a year that started with high hopes but ended with doubts and frustrations.
“Abu Dhabi marks the end of a long and demanding season for the drivers as well as for the entire team,” Frédéric Vasseur acknowledged ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
At Yas Marina, the French team principal aims to finish the championship with a hint of a smile. “We will give our all until the very end,” Fred Vasseur said. “We want to close the season on a positive note.”
Abu Dhabi as a stepping stone for 2026: post-season testing on Tuesday, December 9
Having paused development on the SF-25 in the early months of the season to focus on 2026, Ferrari enters a delicate phase in this season’s final rounds. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have faced some tough races in the closing events, and the team hopes Abu Dhabi will provide a boost of confidence ahead of the winter break leading to the crucial 2026 campaign.
After the Yas Marina weekend concludes, Formula 1 will remain at the Emirati track for several days. The season will officially close with the post-season tests on Tuesday, December 9. Ferrari, alongside the other teams, will take part in testing sessions aimed at preparing for 2026. One of the cars will be equipped specifically to run with the 2026 tires.
On the same day, in addition to Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, young Ferrari talent Dino Beganovic will also hit the track. The Maranello academy prospect will participate in the Young Driver Test, driving an SF-25 in the same configuration used during the Sunday Grand Prix.
For Vasseur and Ferrari, the final week of 2025 is far more than a formality – it’s the first step on the road to redemption in 2026.
Leave a Reply