Ferrari’s 2026 will be remembered for the counterproductive battles between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, the 18th season of its record Formula 1 title drought and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory several times.
📌 The Core Development
These are all justifiably big storylines, but they shouldn’t bury the lede that team principal Fred Vasseur’s revolution has made measurable progress that, factoring in an engine deficit that he says the team long knew would hold it back in 2026, means that in the Ferrari SF-26 it has produced arguably the best chassis.
Ferrari has consistently shipped time to its rivals on the straights, and has been most competitive on tracks with plenty of traction-limited content, for example the Hungaroring - and at altitude at Mexico City, where this engine disadvantage is mitigated.
🔍 Background & Sector Context
The car is impressive in the corners, and while it would be overstating the case to say that this is universally the case rather than being a general trend, there’s little doubt that it would be a big threat to Mercedes, and possibly its superior on that front.
Vasseur took over as Ferrari team principal at the start of 2023. At times, he's been a beleaguered figure plagued by inevitable rumours about his replacement flaring up and frustrated by the occasions when his drivers get in each other's way. His avuncular manner shrouds a steeliness that has brought success across motorsport.
📊 Industry & Real-World Impact
Quietly, he made some progress in rebuilding Ferrari’s long-lost winning culture, although this remains a work in progress. That task is complicated by the relentless scrutiny of the Italian media, which regards Ferrari as more than an F1 team. Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy’s largest sports daily, even used Kimi Antonelli’s world title to attack Ferrari on its front page.
Benchmark Telemetry & EV Fuel Savings
Put top supercars and EVs to the test in The Pit Stop Lab — launch head-to-head 1/4-mile drag strip battles & compute EPA electric fuel cost savings.
⚡ Prefer Visual Stories on Mobile?
Experience this news piece in an interactive 5-slide visual format crafted for mobile devices & Google Discover.
🔮 Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
It’s fair to criticise Vasseur for the concerning pattern of drivers not being entirely co-operative on track, given he is the boss and the buck stops with him. But knowing the way he works, it’s impossible to shake the feeling that his hands may be tied by those above.
Maybe that’s now changed. There are also times when he could perhaps play the media game, in Italy in particular, a little better, although it might be that’s an unwinnable fight it's best not to get drawn into. The only way to do that is results. And although two wins so far this year is a failure by Ferrari standards, the trajectory is positive.
