Ferrari remained winless in the Grands Prix in 2025, but Formula 1 boss Domenicali sees clear reasons for an upturn for the Scuderia in 2026.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali is confident that traditional team Ferrari will perform significantly better in the 2026 season than in 2025, when Ferrari failed to win a Grand Prix. That meant fourth place in the constructors’ championship behind McLaren, Mercedes, and Red Bull.
But why does Domenicali believe in a Ferrari upswing? The former Ferrari team boss explained on Sky: “I am a positive person. There is no reason to complain or be negative all the time.”
The important thing is to have a plan, said Domenicali. “And I am sure that Frederic Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc have a plan.”
Criticism from the boardroom
The 2025 Formula 1 season was anything but ideal for Ferrari. Even Ferrari CEO John Elkann criticized the team for its lack of results and expressly criticized the two drivers, Hamilton and Leclerc.
That’s why Domenicali expects a reaction from Maranello: “It’s important not to pretend that fourth place in the championship is normal. We want a strong Ferrari, and Ferrari deserves to be in a better position.”
To achieve this, Ferrari must “ensure that the right energy is there and that the right steps are taken” during the winter break, according to Domenicali. After all, the 2026 season represents a great opportunity for everyone involved. Under the new Formula 1 regulations, a lot is still possible even during the course of the season: “There will be new developments with every race,” said Domenicali.
Ferrari’s last title to date: with Domenicali
The current Formula 1 series boss headed the racing department of the legendary Ferrari brand from 2008 to 2014. His tenure as team principal coincided with the last world championship title win to date: in 2008, Ferrari won the Formula 1 constructors’ championship and has been chasing its own ambitions ever since. Still, the team has finished second in the world championship seven times. In 2025, however, Ferrari performed worse than in previous years.
Hamilton’s performance in particular is viewed critically internationally: the seven-time world champion joined Ferrari for the 2025 season and won the sprint in Shanghai, but this was not followed by a podium finish in a Grand Prix. Hamilton lost the team duel against Leclerc, finished sixth in the world championship and was eliminated several times in a row in the first qualifying segment at the end of the season.