Ferrari boss Vasseur warns of new challenges in 2026

Ferrari’s 2025 season ended winless, with the SF‑25 plagued by ride‑height woes. Team principal Fred Vasseur says those problems are gone but new technical hurdles await in 2026 as regulations shift.

Why it matters:

• The new rulebook rewrites half the car, wiping out past issues but creating fresh technical challenges.
• Ferrari’s capacity to adapt will decide if they can close the gap to Red Bull and Mercedes after a disappointing 2025.

The details:

• The SF‑25 suffered excessive plank wear, costing Lewis Hamilton a disqualification in China and causing ride‑height instability all season.
• Ferrari halted aero upgrades in April to shift resources to the 2026 package, leaving the car under‑developed for the finale.
• Cardile left for Aston Martin in June 2024; Loic Serra, hired in October, now leads chassis design for the 2026 car.

What's next:

• The first 2026 chassis is slated for early testing next season, built around a new hybrid‑electric power unit and revived ground‑effect aerodynamics.
• Serra’s team must balance cooling, tyre wear and aerodynamic efficiency under tighter regulations.
• Vasseur expects Ferrari to prioritise solving reliability unknowns; a smooth transition could bring podiums by 2027, while setbacks may widen the gap.