Ferrari Faces Pressure for 2026 Success, Analyst Warns of Major Changes if Team Fails Again

Former IndyCar driver and analyst James Hinchcliffe has issued a stark warning to Ferrari, stating that the iconic team must deliver a significant improvement in 2026 or face major internal changes by 2027. This comes after a dismal 2025 season where the Scuderia failed to win a race and finished fourth in the constructors' championship, leaving both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggling with an uncompetitive car.

Why it matters:

Ferrari's inability to challenge for victories has become a persistent narrative, and the 2026 regulation reset represents a critical, perhaps final, opportunity for the current leadership structure to prove it can return the team to the front. Failure to capitalize on this clean-sheet design could trigger a sweeping organizational overhaul, impacting team principal Fred Vasseur's project and the long-term futures of its star drivers.

The details:

• Hinchcliffe emphasized that while Charles Leclerc managed to "salvage the odd result," the primary issues lie with the car and the team's overall performance, which "need to be better next season."
• Lewis Hamilton's debut season with Ferrari was described as "tough to watch," with the analyst noting that significant internal work is required to get the seven-time champion back to a position where he can perform at his peak.
• The flashes of Hamilton's former brilliance were too rare, occurring only "the odd time the car was to his liking," underscoring a fundamental car development problem.
• The warning is clear: 2026 is a "huge opportunity," but falling short of expectations will likely result in a "very different-looking Ferrari by 2027."

The big picture:

The pressure is mounting from all sides. Hamilton himself has expressed relief that the current generation of ground-effect cars is ending, calling it "probably the worst one." His cautious optimism for 2026 is tempered by a warning to fans, hoping the next regulations are not worse. This sentiment reflects the broader dissatisfaction within the team and highlights the immense stakes of the upcoming development cycle. For Ferrari, a historic team defined by success, continued mediocrity is not an option, and 2026 is shaping up to be a make-or-break season for its current era.