Vasseur urges Ferrari to fix costly execution flaws amid title deficit

Ferrari entered Formula 1’s new technical era aiming for championship glory, but the Maranello squad is on course to fall short against Mercedes. Team principal Fred Vasseur has acknowledged that the Scuderia must drastically sharpen its race weekend execution if it hopes to bridge the 145-point gap to Mercedes in the constructors’ standings.

Squandered Pace in the SF-26

Through the opening 14 races of the campaign, Ferrari sits second in the constructors’ championship on 358 points. While both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have frequently demonstrated front-running pace behind the wheel of the Ferrari SF-26, the team has repeatedly failed to convert that speed into the results it merits.

Ferrari has managed two victories so far this season, with Leclerc and Hamilton taking the top step of the podium on one occasion each. However, costly errors at key events, particularly in Hungary and the Netherlands, have left critical points on the table during defining moments of the championship battle.

Navigating New Regulations and Operational Hurdles

Reflecting on the campaign, Vasseur was characteristically demanding of his own team. “See that, execution, I’m a bit harsh with ourselves,” Vasseur told media. “We missed a lot of points this season on execution, but probably less than our competitors.”

The sport experienced a massive overhaul this year, with fresh technical regulations introducing major unknowns throughout the field. The arrival of an 11th team on the grid has also added logistical and operational friction across Grand Prix weekends.

“It’s a new season, everything is new,” Vasseur explained. “Tyres are new. For the strategy, it’s more difficult. Reliability for sure is an issue for everybody. The pit stop, I think for everybody, was also a bit more difficult on some occasions. We have 11 teams, the pit boxes are a bit smaller also, and we have to take this into consideration.”

Eliminating Self-Inflicted Deficits

Rather than focusing on rival squads or general paddock disruption, Vasseur remains firmly concentrated on addressing internal inefficiencies.

“My job is to focus on myself, not to focus on the other ones, and I’m pushing my team to do a better job,” Vasseur asserted. “It’s not that we are losing compared to the others. We are losing points on ourselves.”