It was only a few months ago that speculation swirled about Fred Vasseur’s future. Reports emerged from Italy about the Ferrari team principal being under pressure to keep his position, due to the Scuderia’s disappointing 2025 campaign.
Thankfully for Vasseur, he signed a contract extension with Ferrari just a few weeks ago.
He is now entrusted with delivering Ferrari’s objectives. For a team of the Scuderia’s stature, of course, winning Championships can be the only target.
Whilst Vasseur is clear in his ambitions, he also emphasises that winning titles is not an easy process.
Vasseur insists making a team Champions is a process
Little more than twelve months ago, Ferrari were firmly in the F1 Championship battle. The 2024 drivers’ title was beyond either Leclerc or Sainz last year, with Ferrari’s slump after their Spanish GP updates ruining their momentum.
Still, the Italian squad were firmly in the battle for the constructors title.
After taking victories in Australia and Monaco with Sainz and Leclerc respectively, Ferrari returned to title contention after winning in Monza.
The team’s update package, which arrived at their home circuit, was instrumental in their strong end to 2024.
Ferrari pushed McLaren all the way in the Championship, only missing out on the team crown at the season finale in the last race.
Unfortunately for Ferrari, keeping this momentum for the 2025 season proved more difficult than expected.
For many, Lewis Hamilton was seen as the final piece of the puzzle to get the team over the line.
Instead, Vasseur’s team were several steps off the pace when the season began in Australia. In the context of their 2024 campaign, the SF-25’s shortcomings were particularly difficult to accept.
Amidst the frustration of this season, Fred Vasseur is adamant Ferrari are going in the right direction:
“I’m really convinced that it’s taking time,” he told F1.com.
“It’s taking time at Ferrari, but [it also takes time] everywhere in general.
“If you have a look at the good story of F1 ,that when Christian [Horner] joined Red Bull or when Jean [Todt] joined Ferrari, before all these good success stories. [It] took time before the first win.
“You need a couple of years to build up a team, to recruit people that you want to have with you, and then it takes also time to work together.
“We want to be very agile in F1, but the reality is that we have a lot of inertia.”
Pressure to deliver in 2026
Ferrari, like most teams, will aim to win the Championship next year. Ultimately, though, it is far from a disaster if the Italian squad don’t lift the crown in 2026.
What is essential, is that Ferrari are fighting at the front and within touching distance of the eventual Champions.
The current ground-effect regulations have shown the importance of starting off strong.
Despite relatively underwhelming development after 2023, the foundations Red Bull established under the guidance Adrian Newey gave them a sufficient buffer over rivals to win consecutive titles.
Conversely, the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes have spent the last few years playing catch-up. For both teams, this uphill battle was not winnable.
Because of this, the bare minimum for the Italian outfit next year is to win races and be contenders.
With different aerodynamic regulations and new engine suppliers entering the mix, Fred Vasseur must ensure his team are not caught off guard.
Main photo: Ferrari media gallery
