Scuderia Ferrari have gone almost twenty years without title success, and this is something team principal Fred Vasseur is well aware of. Likewise, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton know the significance of 2026 for Ferrari’s medium-term Championship aspirations.
If Ferrari want to keep their drivers beyond this season, it is integral they launch a title bid. Should they fail to accomplish this, both Hamilton and Leclerc are likely to evaluate other options.
Of course, the Ferrari duo would rather win with Maranello than look elsewhere. This is why both drivers have been extremely busy over the winter, as they explained at today’s SF-26 launch in Fiorano.
Hamilton and Leclerc’s first statements about the SF-25
A variety of reasons meant that Lewis Hamilton’s first year at Ferrari less successful than first imagined.
However, the 7-time Champion is working diligently to change his fortunes in 2026:
“The 2026 season represents a huge challenge for everyone, probably the biggest regulation change I have experienced in my career. When a new era begins, everything revolves around development, growth as a team, and moving forward in the same direction.
“As a driver, being involved from the very start in the development of such a different car has been a particularly fascinating challenge, working closely with the engineers to help define a clear direction for the it.
“It will be an extremely important year from a technical perspective, with the driver playing a central role in energy management, understanding the new systems and contributing to the car’s development.”
For Charles Leclerc, it could be now or never to realise his life-long ambition of winning a title for the Maranello squad. The Monegasque’s patience is not infinite, so he wants a competitive package that belongs at the front.
The 28-year-old has given his thoughts on the new regulations:
“The 2026 regulations demand an even higher level of preparation, particularly for us drivers. There are many new systems to understand and optimise – which is why we have been heavily involved from the early stages of the project’s development.
“During my time with Scuderia Ferrari HP we have already experienced major regulatory changes together. So we know how complex this challenge can be, but we are working with a lot of motivation to arrive on track as well prepared as possible.
“Energy management and the power unit will be among the most significant aspects, a fascinating challenge which will require us drivers to adapt quickly – relying more on instinct to begin with, and then increasingly on precise data.”
Fred Vasseur on the 2026 season
Team principal Fred Vasseur has also given an overview of the upcoming season:
“2026 for sure will be a very exciting season. It’s probably the biggest change in the regulations of F1 over the last 25 years. We are changing the chassis, the engine, the battery, the tyres, the sporting regulations.
“It means that the approach is a bit different. We have to start from scratch on every single topic. The launch of the season is always exciting, but I think this one is particularly exciting.
“We put a lot of energy, time and effort on the 2026 project. We started one year ago. But what is exciting in the new regulations is that everybody probably took a different direction, different path.
“We will have to be very open-minded at the beginning of the season to react to every single circumstance. This is very important to have stability into the organisation, to have a good group of people used to working together with the same focus. It will be key for the season.”
