Vasseur outlines Ferrari’s bold strategy for 2026 F1 season after car launch

14:01, 23 Jan

byOlly Darcy

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur boldly stated that the introduction of the SF-26 marked a "new era for Ferrari and Formula 1".

"The priority will be to learn as much as possible and to start building solid foundations ahead of the opening race."

- Frederic Vasseur

The Scuderia became the latest to launch their challenger for the 2026 season at the Fiorano circuit, following up the unveiling with a shakedown.

After a disappointing 2025 season, where Ferrari failed to secure a Grand Prix win for the first time since 2021, the pressure is on the team to turn things around.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will once again be behind the wheel for Ferrari and will be hoping for a much-improved season after the Italian team missed out on a Grand Prix victory in 2025 for the first time since the 2021 campaign.

The 2026 season will get underway in March with the Australian Grand Prix, with pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain taking place in the winter months.

Frederic Vasseur has been Ferrari team principal since 2023 - Photo: Race Pictures

Ferrari 'aligned and more united than ever'

As a result of the regulation changes that will be in effect for the 2026 season, it could set up one of the most wide-open campaigns the sport has ever seen.

As a result, Vasseur knows just how vital a season this could be for his team.

"The SF-26 marks the beginning of a new era for both Formula 1 and Ferrari, with new regulations introduced in the same year for the chassis and the power unit, as well as new fuels and new tyre sizes," explained the Frenchman in Ferrari's press release after the unveiling of the SF-26.

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"This car is the result of a tremendous team effort and represents the start of a completely new journey, built around a different set of rules that inevitably brings a number of unknowns.

"The team is aligned and more united than ever as we look ahead to the season. From next week in Barcelona, we will begin the process of understanding and validating the car.

"In this initial phase, the priority will be to learn as much as possible and to start building solid foundations ahead of the opening race."

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