Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur has said that the decision to shift the team’s focus from developing the 2025 Formula 1 car to concentrating on the 2026 car had a larger psychological impact on the team than he initially anticipated. Vasseur spoke about this topic in comments reflecting on Ferrari’s 2025 season.
Ferrari ended the 2025 season in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, its lowest finish since 2020. The team recorded zero race wins and a total of seven podium finishes, all achieved by driver Charles Leclerc. The season also included the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, with mixed competitive results over the year.
According to Vasseur, the decision to redirect resources from developing the 2025 car to early work on the 2026 car came after McLaren’s strong pace in the first four or five races. Ferrari resolved to shift focus before May, aiming to prepare for the major regulatory and power unit changes scheduled for 2026. The team continued to bring mechanical upgrades to the 2025 car while reducing aerodynamic development.
Vasseur described the choice as a “tough call” and said he underestimated how challenging it would be for team members to manage the morale implications of running most of the season without aerodynamic updates. He noted that with many races still to be contested after the decision, maintaining motivation while limiting development work proved difficult from a psychological perspective.
Ferrari’s drivers also voiced frustration during the season. Hamilton described his year as among the most challenging of his career, and both drivers expressed disappointment with competitive results. Vasseur said he understood their reactions and did not attribute blame to the drivers for feeling let down by the team’s performance and development context.
In comments about the situation, Vasseur said the decision was taken collectively, and he remains confident in the choice to prioritise future technical development. He explained that the strategy of balancing mechanical upgrades for the current season with early work on the next generation car was intended to position the team for the upcoming regulatory era.
Ferrari’s 2025 season and its development decisions were set against a competitive environment in which other teams, especially McLaren and Mercedes, were stronger in pace. The team’s reflection on morale and the impact of development choices adds detail to wider reporting on how technical strategy and competitive circumstances influenced Ferrari’s performance and internal dynamics over the season.
