Ferrari will not shift its full attention to the 2027 Formula 1 car despite its title chances fading. Team principal Fred Vasseur insists the Maranello squad will continue developing the SF-26 for the time being.
The decision comes after a disappointing Spanish Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton retired with brake issues and Charles Leclerc finished only fourth. Hamilton now trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli by 101 points, while Ferrari sits 145 points behind Mercedes in the constructors' standings.
With the cost cap and aerodynamic testing restrictions in play, resource allocation is critical. Ferrari has already used its two allowed ADUO engine upgrades.
“We are not in the situation of 12 months ago,” Vasseur said, referring to the 2026 regulatory overhaul. “Today, what we will develop, we will be able to carry it over on next year's project. We will continue to work, but perhaps on different things, different aspects. The development that we do now, 80% will be carried over.”
This approach suggests Ferrari wants to extract every lesson from the SF-26. The car still has untapped potential, especially in qualifying. Since the summer break, neither Hamilton nor Leclerc has qualified on the front row in any of the four sessions (including the Zandvoort sprint). Their average grid position is fifth, with a deficit to pole of 0.198s – slower than McLaren and Mercedes, but quicker than Red Bull.
“This we need to improve, because I think when you have a look on the pace, during the race the pace is there,” Vasseur explained. “For sure we need to do a better job in quali. If you take Zandvoort and this one, the profile of the event is a little bit the same for us. We had a decent pace in quali, but we didn't put everything together on the last attempt, and race pace is OK.”
Vasseur added that the team's focus is on the evolution of qualifying pace rather than raw speed. “We were there on run one Q3, the potential is there, we just have to adapt everything further on,” he said.
By continuing to develop the SF-26, Ferrari ensures that any updates now will not only benefit the remainder of 2026 but also lay a valuable foundation for the 2027 car. It's a long-term strategy that shows Maranello is not succumbing to short-term pressure.
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