Ferrari faces title doubts, internal pressure on Vasseur, and debate over a UK base as the Scuderia seeks long-term stability.
Ferrari needs to improve, but it’s not yet time for concern or panic. Speaking at the New York premiere of the F1 movie, Charles Leclerc remains focused, even as he acknowledges a disappointing weekend in Canada.
“The motivation is still there,” Leclerc said. “I mean, of course, Canada was a frustrating race and we’re a bit behind.”
“But more so because of the starting position than the actual pace, as I think the pace wasn’t too bad. So yes, I’m just frustrated we didn’t manage to put it all together. But apart from that, everything happening around me doesn’t really affect me.”
“I think the team knows exactly where I stand and I know what I want to do, and that’s what matters most to me. So of course, when there are rumours, it can cause a bit of distraction. But I don’t think we’ve been affected by them.”
Ferrari’s chances of a world title already seem slim, given McLaren’s 181-point lead:
“I think it will be very difficult! If you look at the points, we’re very far behind. We would need to completely dominate from now on. But let’s try!”
“I don’t think there’s anything coming that makes us believe we can do it. But interesting new parts are on the way and the car is really improving.”
“I think the best thing to do is to take things as they come and try to maximise the results, as we’ve done. The first part of the season was disappointing, but we keep pushing and we’ll see where that takes us.”
A UK F1 Base for Ferrari: A Good Idea for Briatore, a Mistake According to Enzo’s Son
Fred Vasseur’s recent joke about needing to “find another job” may be close to the truth—or far from it—but the Frenchman remains composed as he faces his first real media storm with the Italian press in over a week.
Vasseur made light of the situation on the red carpet at the New York premiere of the new F1 film:
“Do I see myself becoming an actor?” he laughed.
“Maybe, yes. I’m already looking for another job,” he joked on French broadcaster Canal Plus.
This statement came before Ignazio La Russa, President of the Italian Senate, called for Flavio Briatore to take charge of Ferrari’s F1 team.
Former Italian F1 driver Jarno Trulli believes the media (and perhaps Ferrari’s senior management) are targeting the wrong issue.
“What seems to be missing is mainly a technical director. Last year, Adrian Newey was available. Maranello needs someone capable of designing a strong F1 car.”
“It’s very similar to what I experienced at Toyota in 2009: the car was only competitive intermittently.”
Others believe Ferrari’s struggles stem from being based in Italy, far from F1’s industrial heartland in England. Ferrari is now reportedly considering opening a base in the Motorsport Valley, close to Red Bull, Mercedes F1, and McLaren—its main rivals.
Flavio Briatore, now an executive advisor at Alpine F1, agrees with this analysis.
“Winning in Formula 1 is difficult. Ferrari doesn’t need new leaders; they already have enough. What they need is to internationalise more. They must finally open a technical centre in England.”
“If you want to build a great F1 car, you go to England. If you want to make champagne, it’s better to be in France.”
However, Piero Ferrari, son of founder Enzo Ferrari (pictured below), recalls that opening a Ferrari “design office” in England in the late 1980s was a grave error.
“My biggest mistake was following John Barnard. I was the one who convinced my father to hire this Englishman in 1986. I thought we needed a foreign brain.”
“But Barnard never managed to fit into our culture with his design office. It was an incredible mistake that I still regret today.”
“The message is clear: we need to find our way back to victory, without injecting genes that are incompatible with ours.”
Times may have changed—but Ferrari’s mindset hasn’t. Even though Piero Ferrari isn’t a direct decision-maker, his opinion is widely respected by John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna.
If this idea—reportedly from Fred Vasseur—of a UK base is still rejected by his superiors nearly four decades later, the idea of not renewing his contract at season’s end may well materialise.
Under Pressure Again, Vasseur Calls for the Same Stability in F1 as Ferrari Enjoys in WEC
While rumours and speculation continue to mount around Fred Vasseur, the Ferrari boss saw a response from the Italian press yesterday, with a statement from the Italian automotive journalists’ union—a two-toned reply.
“It’s normal for Vasseur to be under scrutiny,” insists Luigi Perna from La Gazzetta dello Sport, one of the Italian papers harshly criticised by Vasseur in Canada.
Perna is clearly not intimidated by the Frenchman’s words and has doubled down.
While Christian Horner has again been linked in recent speculation, with a recent meeting reportedly held with John Elkann, the main candidate to replace Vasseur in 2026—if it comes to that—would be Antonello Coletta, currently leading Ferrari’s WEC efforts.
“The name of Coletta, the man behind Ferrari’s miracle at Le Mans, is being mentioned as a replacement, and it’s no surprise. Elkann has full confidence in him, while Vasseur, whose contract is expiring, is paying the price for the team’s lack of progress and some questionable internal decisions,” adds Perna.
Amid speculation about his future at Ferrari, Vasseur has offered his thoughts on the WEC team’s success.
Struggling, the Frenchman took the opportunity to praise the Scuderia’s triumph at Le Mans with a clear message: give us stability!
“I think one of the advantages for the Le Mans team is stability. This consistency and the experience of those leading the team are essential. That stability is a very good thing.”
As for the internal turbulence, Lewis Hamilton left Canada admitting he had deliberately kept silent on what he knew. A reshuffle—organised with or without Vasseur—appears to be underway, according to the Italian press, which attempted to extract more information from the seven-time world champion.
“There are things I’d like to tell you, but I can’t. A lot is happening behind the scenes.”
“My goal is to positively influence the changes to ensure long-term success.”
Pirelli F1 2026 Testing: Ferrari Begins Work with Zhou at Fiorano
A new Pirelli testing session dedicated to the development of the 2026 tyres began yesterday at the Fiorano circuit.
In collaboration with Scuderia Ferrari, Pirelli engineers compared various prototypes of intermediate and full wet tyres, making full use of the artificial watering system at Ferrari’s private track.
Guanyu Zhou was at the wheel of an SF-25, modified to accommodate the 2026 tyre dimensions.
The Chinese driver completed 159 laps. His best time, 59.820 seconds, was set on dry tyres during the preparation phase of the day. His best time on the 2.976-kilometre circuit using intermediate tyres was 1:07.400.
Testing will continue today at the same circuit, with Charles Leclerc taking the wheel.
