Fred Vasseur feels it is ironic from Toto Wolff to question about Ferrari’s Cost Cap spending, after the Mercedes F1 chief raised surprise.
Following the Austrian GP, Mercedes F1 chief Wolff put out a surprise note regarding the string of upgrades that Ferrari has managed since the start of 2026 season. It is not just limited to the chassis side, but the Italian manufacturer has also stuff ready on the power unit side.
Wolff pointed out at Ferrari, noting that they are the only team that hasn’t slowed down and raised query on their Cost Cap spending. While Red Bull has also brought significant updates, but the question marks on the Italian manufacturer has seemingly upset Vasseur – Wolff’s good friend.
Vasseur finds it ironic for Wolff to question
The Frenchman showed his displeasure when asked about the updates in F1 British GP press conference. He feels the query aligns with claims of cheating, since Wolff thinks Ferrari has overshot the Cost Cap. Vasseur pointed that they haven’t brought more parts than Red Bull has.
“You are referring to the comments of Toto?,” started Vasseur. “I found it quite ironic from Toto, coming from Toto and Mercedes. When Red Bull is developing or when Mercedes is developing, they are genius. When we are developing, we are cheating.
“I think you have to calm down with this. We didn’t bring more parts than Red Bull or another one. I don’t know if it was a joke, but…if you think that we overshoot the cost cap, for me it’s… going into this direction [of cheating],” summed up Vasseur.
When asked if they have had the chance to speak since then, Vasseur felt it is better not to speak. “I think it was better to avoid to speak,” he said. When pressed further on why Ferrari is being singled out, the Frenchman reckoned it is better to ask Wolff about it.
Vasseur miffed by allegations of ‘cheating’
He found it weird. He feels if they have an update ready at the beginning of five races, why will he delay it for the last of the two races to deploy them, he would rather do it at the start and try to eke out the benefit and performance for as many races, than just two.
“If you have to ask something to Toto, go to Toto, ask him why he spoke about me,” noted Vasseur. “Don’t ask me the question. But honestly, I have no clue and I found it a bit weird. Because I think the more performance you can bring at the beginning, we are all in December, if we can bring something at the beginning we do it.
“And it’s better to have a couple of tenths for five races than a couple of tenths for the last two. But sometimes it’s difficult to find performance, sometimes a bit less. Sometimes you can have the feeling that we are bringing a big upgrade but this is just a modification of some parts, nothing else,” summed up Vasseur.
Vasseur fine with rivals talk but cheating allegation is no-go
For now, the Frenchman feels good that the rivals are talking about his team’s updates and everything that goes along, but he wants to be mindful of things said as in Austria. At the same time, he wants everybody to be a bit calm because the performance extraction doesn’t happen only due to updates.
There are other variable factors like set-up, tyre, etc, that goes with it. “Yes, sure. But keep in mind the comments after Austria, OK?,” said Vasseur. “After Barcelona we are at the top, after Austria we are nowhere, after FP1, where you don’t know the level of fuel of the other teams, the upgrades are magic.
“You just have to stay calm with this. I think we are at the beginning of the car. We have still a lot of room of performance in the set-up, in the tyre management, and sometimes much bigger than the upgrade that we are bringing.
“It means that sometimes you can bring an upgrade, the upgrade is working, but you are doing a mistake on the set-up and you are out of the pace. We just have to stay calm,” summed up Vasseur. On the engine side, the Frenchman was surprised that media had more information than him.
Updated PU will be deployed when ready
When asked if Ferrari is ready to deploy an updated engine at Monza, Vasseur didn’t affirm the same, but noted that they will use it when they are ready. He highlighted that power unit takes a lot more time to be ready than chassis, which is why they use it as and when they are ready with it.
“You are more informed than me on the timing of the upgrade on the engine,” quipped Vasseur. “It’s always good to come to the press conference to get information. But for sure it will be a push when we will introduce the next engine. But it’s too early to know when we will do it.
“First, because as Zak [Brown] said, you have to bring upgrades when you are improving the performance, and on the engine side the lead time is much longer than on the chassis side. But I have nothing else to say,” summed up Vasseur.
Will stop updates declaration if media doesn’t like the information
On the topic of pre-weekend declaration of updates after FIA’s recent push for F1 teams to be more transparent, Vasseur questioned the media if they want any information or not. Since the FIA has not mandated to declare the details of the update, several teams mark an update as one.
For example, if there are intricate changes made to whole of the rear package, some F1 teams just pin it as ‘modifications made to rear assembly’, without pointing out where and what parts has been changed. Vasseur is fine to stop with updates list all together, if media is not happy.
But he feels F1 teams are giving something for the media to write with their pre-weekend list. “Well, if you have an idea for the next regulation, it’s welcome,” said Vasseur. “The FIA is asking us to declare what we are changing as a shape on parts but not the details.
“And we are doing it for you, to give you something to write or to say. Now, if you don’t want to get it, that’s another story. We can stop. But honestly, sometimes it’s starting to take proportion a bit… I won’t say the word,” summed up Vasseur.
