In an interview with F1 ahead of the Hungarian GP, recently renewed Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, talked about Lewis Hamilton’s challenging first season in red and looks ahead to the 2026 F1 season.
After finishing the 2024 F1 season strongly, Ferrari looked like a promising candidate to mount a title challenge, especially with 7-time Champion Lewis Hamilton joining the Maranello-based outfit.
However, the SF-25 proved to be lacking the pace and drivability that would have allowed the Ferrari drivers to consistently challenge for podiums, let alone wins.
A difficult car and a new environment thus posed a tough challenge for new arrival Hamilton, who, compared to teammate Leclerc, appears to be struggling more with extracting the potential from his SF-25.
Underestimating Hamilton’s Ferrari challenge
Vasseur believes they may have underestimated the difficulty of the switch from Mercedes to Ferrari for Hamilton.
Since joining the sport in 2007, the Briton has driven Mercedes-powered cars.
The switch to Ferrari thus posed not only a challenge due to the new working environment, but also in terms of the car and software, says Vasseur.
“I think perhaps that we underestimate the challenge for Lewis [Hamilton] at the beginning of the season.
“He spent almost 10 years with McLaren and then 10 years with Mercedes – that’s almost 20 years with Mercedes in the same environment.
“It was a huge change for Lewis [Hamilton] in terms of culture, in terms of people around him, in terms of software, in terms of car, in terms of every single topic was a big change, perhaps that we underestimate this, Lewis and myself.”
Signs of improvement
Despite underestimating the challenges Hamilton would face, Vasseur believes that over the course of the last four to five races, Hamilton has shown improved pace.
A positive sign, as Vasseur hopes that Ferrari can soon challenge for podiums and wins with both cars.
“But I’m very, very pleased because the last four or five races he was back into the pace back in Qualy, even though Qualy was difficult in Spa, but he had a mega recovery for the race.
“It’s important for us also to have this kind of emulation competition into the team.
“I think it’s one of the strong points of McLaren this season, with Oscar [Piastri] and Lando [Norris].
“I really want to have the two cars fighting for podium, fighting for the wins, and Lewis [Hamilton] is back into the very strong pace the last four or five races.”
Full focus on the 2026 F1 season
The updates brought to the Belgian GP, provided another vital step in Ferrari’s battle to the front.
Vasseur believes that Ferrari now needs to fine-tune and maximize its current package, as the focus has shifted fully to the 2026 F1 season.
“We made a step probably in Spa.
“Spa was not the easiest weekend in terms of programme and weather.
“But I think we did a step on the car now.
“We have to understand a little bit more the new suspension and to be able to fine tune it.
“But honestly, as I think for everybody, that we are now fully focused on 2026.
“It means that we need to get the best from what we have.
“I still want to win races this season, but the main part of the focus is on 2026.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 F1 season, Vasseur notes that the goal for Ferrari is clear: win the Championship.
“It’s not a secret that Ferrari wants to win again, but we have a target and the goal is very, very clear.
“We’ll put everything to achieve it.
“It’s enough as a target that we all want to win the championship.
“We did a decent step forward everywhere, but now we need perhaps a bit more time to put everything together, and the 2026 challenge is a good opportunity.”
