The Australian Grand Prix noticed George Russell take victory forward of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. Ferrari, after a really sturdy begin from each of its drivers, finally needed to concede to the superior race tempo proven by the 2 Mercedes automobiles. On the finish of the opening spherical of the System 1 season, Ferrari staff principal Fred Vasseur spoke in regards to the hole separating Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton from Russell and Antonelli. Nonetheless, that wasn’t the one matter he addressed, as he additionally revealed particulars about Ferrari’s upcoming upgrades.
Fred Vasseur is already looking forward to the subsequent races on the F1 calendar and to the event work that lies forward. Talking to Sky Sport F1, the Ferrari staff principal tried to quantify the benefit Mercedes presently holds over the Maranello-based staff: “Possibly they’re half a second sooner than us and we have now to work on each space.”
The Australian Grand Prix was solely the primary race of the season, however Fred Vasseur has already revealed the event areas Ferrari will concentrate on with the subsequent set of upgrades, which look like arriving very quickly. “We all know that we’ll quickly deliver a pleasant improve to the chassis, however we additionally have to make a step ahead on the engine and on power administration.”
Fred Vasseur added: “Nonetheless, we have to hold pushing and concentrate on ourselves. We’ve got a protracted listing, as I mentioned earlier than, of matters the place we are able to enhance. We didn’t have an ideal weekend, however ultimately it’s nonetheless a good outcome for the staff.”
The following race will happen in China and would be the first Dash weekend of the season. Groups can have just one hour of apply to arrange their automobiles earlier than heading into Dash qualifying on Friday and the Dash race on Saturday. In line with Vasseur, the race in China might current a really completely different state of affairs in comparison with what was seen in Melbourne.
“The observe in China is totally completely different as a result of I feel this one was among the many most demanding circuits for power administration, with the lengthy straight after Flip 4 all the way in which to virtually Flip 12. In China will probably be a special story, and the temperatures are additionally a lot cooler, so we are going to begin once more from zero.”
Fred Vasseur’s transparency concerning the 0.5s deficit suggests a Ferrari staff that’s life like but decided, specializing in the precise “energy-draining” traits of the SF-26 that had been uncovered in Melbourne. Because the paddock strikes to the colder, high-downforce calls for of Shanghai, the success of those early chassis and energy unit tweaks would be the first true check of Ferrari’s means to maintain a season-long improvement battle in opposition to a dominant Mercedes.
Mar 8, 2026
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