Frederic Vasseur says the Ferrari drivers and the whole team was taken into confidence and informed about their development stop on F1 2025 for 2026.
After the early setback for Ferrari, especially when it suffered a double disqualification in China, the Italian manufacturer eventually decided to stop its development programme for 2025 F1 season and shift its focus on 2026 to be better prepared for the new regulations.
It was a bold call to stop development as early in April but it was one they had to take considering the resources and budget cap situation. It meant they brought bare minimum for the remainder of the 2025 F1 season, with only pre-decided developments put in use.
They didn’t materialise new developments, with resources put towards 2026. The decision was taken taking both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc into confidence, who backed the idea. The whole of Maranello was also informed about the same to keep everyone on the same page.
After how the season panned out, Vasseur acknowledged that they underestimated the scale of issues they will face by the end of it. The results dipped massively as they were far away from fighting for second, where even one Red Bull managed to beat the Italian manufacturer.
So much that Hamilton failed to secure a podium, while Ferrari failed to win a race in a dismal show in the end. They were fourth in the constructors’ championship, a fall of two places from F1 2024, as they fell short against Mercedes and Red Bull in their own fight.
“We didn’t start in the best way with the double disqualification in China,” said Vasseur. “This cost us tons of points compared to our direct competitors. Quite early in the season, McLaren was so dominating in the first four or five events that we realised it would be very difficult for 2025. It meant that we decided very early in the season – I think it was the end of April – to switch to ’26.
“It was a tough call. Perhaps I also underestimated a little bit the call on the psychological side, because when you still have 20 races to go, or 18 races to go, and you know that you won’t bring any aero development, it’s quite tough to manage psychologically. But overall, we continued to push. We brought some mechanical upgrades, and we are trying to do a better job operationally, and this is the DNA of our sport.
“We have to accept this. It was a call, and I’m still confident with the call that we made. First, this decision was shared by everybody in the team. At one stage, you look at the championship and say: OK, it will be very difficult to come back on McLaren with the delta pace, the delta points. So you say: OK, let’s focus the resources we have in the wind tunnel on 2026.
“On the other hand, we can still continue to develop the mechanical side and bring some upgrades on the car, except aero. And that’s what we did – and it was a good exercise, honestly. For sure, the drivers were part of this decision. They are fully committed to the project.
“It’s something we have to share altogether. In this kind of situation, you have to act as a team, and that’s what we did in that stage of the season,” summed up Vasseur. The Frenchman also noted that everything for 2026 will be forwarded by 10 days with an early start in Barcelona for the private pre-season test. It is not only about the drivers and team bosses, but all of the mechanics, who are integral part of any F1 team.
“No, because you do the reverse planning from T1 [2026],” said Vasseur. “That means we have to release everything a bit earlier than we did last year. For sure, the fact that you have now the mandatory shutdown at Christmas – it’s good for us and for the family. But we just have to anticipate everything by 10 days. The exercise is the same.
“It’s more for track operations that it’s difficult because it’s not after the chequered flag. The week after the chequered flag we still have the tests in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi – that means it’s not 36 days, it’s seven days less. But no – when I say this, I’m not speaking about me or the drivers. I’m speaking first about the mechanics. It’s much more difficult for them than for everybody else. We have to think about them. It’s true this exercise will be tricky,” summed up Vasseur.
Here’s Frederic Vasseur on no issues with drivers’ outbursts
Here’s Lewis Hamilton on time off in winter
