‘The most important thing’ – Ferrari highlights key focus for rest of F1 2026

Ferrari System 1 crew boss Fred Vasseur says “crucial factor” for the Scuderia within the second half of 2026 can be to maintain up its present automotive improvement fee.

The Italian outfit comes into the summer season break off the again of a powerful opening half to the 2026 season.

Ferrari has received two grands prix and at present sits second within the constructors’ championship, whereas Lewis Hamilton is 50 factors down on Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli in second within the drivers’ standings.

Its philosophy in direction of improvement to date this season has been fixed evolution at every race, somewhat than introducing main packages, which the likes of McLaren and Pink Bull have achieved.

For Fred Vasseur, sustaining this improvement momentum is “crucial factor” for Ferrari, which incorporates making beneficial properties with its energy unit.

“The primary a part of the season was, I might say, in all probability in two phases,” Vasseur stated going into the summer season break.

“The primary one is till Spain, when Mercedes was flying, they usually scored one thing like 100 factors greater than us in 4 or 5 occasions.

“And doubtless after Spain, that we got here again, we scored extra factors than Mercedes in these 4 or 5 races.

“The place we’ve got to enhance is that, if I draw a conclusion based mostly on as we speak [after the Hungarian GP], I might say execution.

“However execution to date was in all probability an excellent one for us from the start of the season.

“We all know that we’ve got to enhance on the engine facet, and we’ll do it, even when the inertia on the engine is far larger than the chassis.

“An important factor can be to have the ability to hold the tempo into the event.

“McLaren did an enormous step ahead, as a result of they do not have precisely the identical philosophy, as a result of they’re bringing a giant package deal, and I believe the final one was Miami or Canada.

“And for positive, every time that they’re bringing one thing, they’re making an enormous step.

“However we’ve got a unique strategy, attempting to convey elements each race, and we’ve got to maintain this momentum as a result of it is nonetheless 12 races to go, or… I do not know if it is 11, 12, or 10, but it surely’s so much.

“And we’ve got room for enchancment on the chassis all over the place, and we’ve got to maintain this tempo.”

Ferrari has been in a position to profit from the primary of its ADUO upgrades to its engine, with a second anticipated later within the season.