Ferrari outlines crucial strategy to maximise F1 in-season break

After the opening three races of the 2026 campaign, F1 faces a hiatus following the cancellation of both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix, due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Teams are, however, using the pause to address early teething issues and enhance the overall performance of their cars, and Ferrari is no exception.

Speaking on his team’s focus during the five-week break, Vasseur noted his side will aim to improve overall competitiveness.

“For sure, we have a lot of work to do, like everybody in the paddock. It's the beginning of the car's homologation, which means we have tons of things to improve. Now, after three races, we have good data to understand the competitiveness of the car, where we are OK-ish and where we are not. Performance comes from everywhere, but we have to take a step forward in every single area,” Vasseur said.

“That’s true for us, but it will be true for everybody on the grid. It's more about doing a better job than the others and making progress,” the French motorsports chief concluded.

The Ferrari SF-26 has proven to be competitive, with the team finishing on the podium in all three races held so far. However, they experienced a performance drop in Lewis Hamilton’s car during the Japanese Grand Prix, an issue Vasseur has identified as crucial for the team to address.

Earlier, Vasseur highlighted the reason behind the pace deficit Hamilton experienced in Suzuka.

The Ferrari team boss, who addressed the media following the conclusion of the Suzuka race, noted how the lack of overtake mode contributed to the performance deficit the Brit experienced.

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