Ferrari Temper Expectations Ahead of Rapid F1 2026 Development

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has played down early expectations for the 2026 Formula 1 season, warning that teams are set to experience an unusually high rate of car development as understanding of the new regulations continues to evolve.

The 2026 Formula 1 cars have been designed under a completely fresh set of technical rules, featuring sweeping changes to both aerodynamics and power unit architecture. As a result, the opening phase of the season is expected to be defined less by initial performance and more by the speed at which teams can interpret regulations, correlate data, and deliver effective upgrades.

Ferrari enter the new campaign aiming to re-establish themselves at the front of the grid after a difficult 2025 season, which concluded without a single race victory. However, despite recently launching its 2026 challenger, Vasseur insisted it is far too early to assess where Ferrari truly stands ahead of the season-opening races.

“Honestly, it’s far too early to talk about expectations,” Vasseur said.

He stressed that Ferrari’s immediate priority is centred on work rate and continuous improvement, rather than benchmarking against rivals at such an early stage.

“We are here to work, to develop, to improve. We will see where the situation is when we arrive in Melbourne.”

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According to Vasseur, successfully running the new car on track without major issues represents an important milestone, but one that should not be mistaken for a competitive reference point.

“It was an important step to put the car on track without any issues. This is good, but we still have a long way to go.”

A key theme of Vasseur’s assessment is the expected acceleration of development across the grid. With the regulatory framework opening up wide areas of aerodynamic and systems optimisation, he believes the pace of upgrades will significantly exceed that seen in recent seasons.

“The rate of development will be much higher this season than what you saw last year or the year before,” he explained.
“This means nobody really knows what the situation will be in a couple of weeks.”

That reality, Vasseur argued, makes early-season form particularly unreliable as a predictor of championship competitiveness. Small gains in understanding can translate into substantial performance shifts over short periods of time.

The private shakedown test in Barcelona this week marks the first opportunity for teams to gather real-world data from their 2026 cars. For Ferrari, the running is viewed as a data-collection exercise rather than an indication of relative pace, with emphasis placed on validating systems and establishing development direction.

Vasseur also cautioned against drawing long-term conclusions from the opening round of the season, which will take place at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

“We will see about performance when we are in Melbourne,” he said.
“But Melbourne will not be the end of the championship.”

He reiterated that aerodynamic development, in particular, remains far from converged under the new rules, with teams expected to deliver significant updates on a near-weekly basis.

“We will have a huge rate of development. On the aero side, we are still making important steps every week, and this is true for us and true for everybody.”

Against that backdrop, Vasseur emphasised the importance of discipline and internal focus, rather than reacting to early narratives formed by limited data.

“Let’s keep the focus on ourselves. Let’s try to do a good job over the next couple of weeks and throughout the season.”

Ferrari’s approach reflects a broader understanding that the 2026 season is likely to be highly volatile in its early phases. With performance curves expected to shift rapidly, teams that avoid overreacting to initial results may be better positioned to capitalise as the competitive order stabilises.

As Ferrari prepare for the opening flyaway races, including the early rounds before the Bahrain Grand Prix, Vasseur’s message remains deliberately cautious. In an era defined by regulatory upheaval, patience, development efficiency, and clarity of direction may prove more valuable than early headline results.