Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur made it clear that he was not optimistic about the championship scenarios discussed by the print and visual media following Charles Leclerc's victory at Silverstone. Ferrari, having won two of the last three races, continues to fight for the drivers' championship, trailing Kimi Antonelli by 32 points, and Mercedes by 78 points in the constructors' championship, alongside Lewis Hamilton.
A warning about consistency reminiscent of Austria.
Vasseur recalled how he distanced himself from overly optimistic comments following the surprise Spanish GP victory in Barcelona—Hamilton's first win in a Ferrari uniform—which came with a major upgrade package. He highlighted that his team had a difficult weekend in Austria and that the poor performance in Spielberg was squeezed between the Barcelona and Silverstone victories, noting that inconsistent results prevented hasty conclusions. Vasseur said: “After Barcelona, they told me 'Ferrari is back in contention for the championship.' I said no. A week later they said 'Ferrari is gone.' Again I said no. I tell everyone the same thing: We had a good weekend, now let's focus on Spa. We are not champions, but we are not gone either. We are progressing step by step.‘
Mercedes retains its advantage, Spa will present different challenges.
Vasseur acknowledged that Mercedes maintained its lead despite pressure from Hamilton, who is 32 points behind Antonelli in the drivers' championship, and a 78-point gap in the constructors' championship. “Mercedes still has a slight advantage in pure performance. If you look at the six or seven sessions we did this weekend, they were probably ahead five times,” said Vasseur, offering a cautious assessment of the Belgian GP. He reminded everyone that the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit, with its long straights and dramatic energy harvesting requirements, will place different demands on the 2026 power units. “The weather will also be quite different. We have to start from scratch every weekend. We can’t think we can gain five or six seconds in a week; it’s the sum of small gains in every area that will make the difference,” he added.
The principle of not drawing conclusions from a single competition.
Vasseur added that the championship discussions were of interest to the media, not him, as his team prepared for the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps on July 28: “I never try to draw conclusions after one or two races, after a good or bad result. I just focus on doing more and doing better. That applies to me and everyone at the factory. Talking about the championship is your job; I never do that.”