Team boss Frederic Vasseur admits that it was very hard for the team when Ferrari shifted all its resources to 2026 back in April, but he stands behind the change.
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur admits that McLaren’s early dominance in the 2025 Formula 1 season led the Scuderia to halt its development for the current season much earlier in order to focus on 2026. According to him, Ferrari had already shifted all its resources to 2026 in April.
However, he now admits that he underestimated the psychological effect of not bringing any significant upgrades.
“We didn’t get off to a good start, with the double disqualification in China. That cost us a huge number of points compared to our direct competitors, and McLaren was so dominant in the first four or five races that we realized early on how difficult 2025 would be,” explains Vasseur.
“Tough decision”
“That meant we decided very early in the season—I think at the end of April—to switch to 2026. It was a tough decision. Maybe I underestimated the psychological aspect a little, because when you still have 18 or 20 races ahead of you and you know you’re not going to be bringing any more aero updates, it’s mentally difficult to cope with,” he admits.
“But overall, we kept pushing. We brought in some mechanical updates, we’re trying to work better operationally—that’s the DNA of our sport. But we have to accept it. I remain convinced that it was the right decision. And now we’re fighting for second place under these conditions.”
Ferrari’s decision means that the Scuderia will probably remain without a win this season, unless it can still beat McLaren and Max Verstappen in Qatar or Abu Dhabi. It also makes Lewis Hamilton’s adjustment to the Maranello team more difficult, as he continues to wait for his first Ferrari podium finish.
Everyone is behind the decision
However, Vasseur emphasizes that both drivers were involved in the decision-making process to sacrifice 2025—because the rule change in 2026 offers Leclerc and Hamilton the best chance to compete at the front on a permanent basis.
“The decision was supported by everyone in the team,” he emphasizes. “Of course, the drivers were involved because they are fully behind the project. In a situation like this, you have to act in unison—and that’s exactly what we did at this stage of the season.”
“At some point, you look at the championship and see that, given the pace and the points gap, it will be very difficult to catch up with McLaren,” said the Frenchman. “So you say, ‘Okay, with the resources we have in the wind tunnel, let’s focus on 26.’”
“On the other hand, you can continue to develop the mechanical side and bring upgrades—just not aero. And that’s exactly what we did,” he says. “Honestly, we responded well to difficult sessions and weekends. And we’ll see next year if we did a good job this season.” Ferrari goes into the final two races fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, 13 points behind Red Bull in third. Mercedes is virtually out of reach after extending its lead to 53 points in Las Vegas.