Following a disappointing 2025 season, Ferrari are under increasing pressure to deliver improvements for next year.
Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton spoke out about the SF-25, with neither able to secure a win throughout the year.
Leclerc picked up all seven of Ferrari’s podium finishes, while Hamilton found it difficult to get comfortable in a car that didn’t suit his strengths.
Team boss Fred Vasseur took much of the criticism directed at Ferrari during the campaign. Although he signed a new contract over the summer, he revealed that the team shifted focus to upcoming regulation changes as early as April. This decision has put extra emphasis on next year’s car needing to perform well.
Journalist Rebecca Clancy has reported from inside the paddock that Vasseur might have until 2026 to prove he’s capable of leading Ferrari back to championship contention, a title they haven’t won in 18 years.
Fred Vasseur facing critical 2026 deadline to keep Ferrari job
Clancy, speaking on the Inside the Piranha Club podcast, shared her thoughts on Ferrari’s recent decisions and how they compare to other teams. Red Bull’s development approach, especially since Laurent Mekies took over from Christian Horner, stood out in particular.
“He wasn’t entirely convinced that what was happening back at the factory was translating to what was going on at the track,” Clancy said. “So he wanted to check all of their systems from the sims, to the CAD drawings, everything.”
She went on: “A lot of what happened this year in the development of Red Bull since Mekies came in has been down to that.”
“Ferrari,” she continued, “there doesn’t seem to be anything happening back at Maranello that translates into what’s going on at the track.”
She added: “They still don’t know if what happens at the factory does correlate onto the track. Yes, there is an enormous regulation change engine and chassis change.
“It doesn’t feel like they’re in a position right now where they can make something happen quickly and hit the ground running.”
“I feel like next year could already be a very difficult year for them. And there are rumours in the paddock already that Fred Vasseur doesn’t have very long – perhaps until summer,” Clancy concluded.
Fred Vasseur making early moves to steer Ferrari back on track for 2026
After a poor 2025 season, Ferrari’s decision to shift focus early has raised expectations for a stronger campaign in 2026.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has already begun recruiting engineers from Renault after the manufacturer left Formula One, bringing in new technical staff ahead of the upcoming season.
Although the Renault power unit lagged behind under the previous regulations, there’s no shortage of skilled personnel now looking for roles elsewhere across the paddock.
Hamilton’s steering setup could also be adjusted next year to better match what he used during his time at Mercedes.
The differences between Ferrari’s 2024 and 2025 cars were significant. After coming close to winning the constructors’ title in 2024, they fell over 400 points behind McLaren just a year later.
If discussions about potential replacements have already started internally, it might not even matter how well the car performs next year—Vasseur’s position could already be in jeopardy based on decisions made months ago.
With testing just around the corner, attention will quickly turn to how Hamilton and Leclerc perform once they hit the track.
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