Vasseur warns Ferrari must ‘be on the ball’ from FP1 in Montreal

With the Formula 1 paddock arriving in Montreal under the added intensity of a Sprint weekend, Ferrari is being urged to treat every lap of preparation as if it were already part of the race itself.

For team principal Frédéric Vasseur, the message heading into Canada is blunt: there will be no time to settle in.

Montreal is far from an ordinary stop for Ferrari. The team traditionally enjoys exceptional support in the city, where a large Italian community gives the Scuderia something close to a home-race atmosphere.

The grandstands often turn into a sea of red, with Ferrari flags waving as if the race had been transplanted to Maranello itself.

And then there is the deeper layer of history – one that no modern weekend in Montreal can escape. The circuit carries the name of Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve, whose legacy remains embedded in the soul of the track.

For the Scuderia, racing here is never just another round; it is a return to a place where history and emotion are permanently intertwined.

That emotional backdrop only heightens the stakes as Ferrari brings its upgraded SF-26 package back into action, including the so-called “Macarena” rear wing designed to improve straight-line efficiency along the circuit’s long straights.

One practice session, no safety net

With just a single practice session before Sprint Qualifying, teams must arrive with near-perfect preparation – or risk spending the entire weekend playing catch-up.

Vasseur is fully aware of how quickly things can unravel in Montreal if execution is not sharp from the outset. Previewing the weekend, he highlighted both the charm and the challenge of the event:

"Canada is always a special event, with a great atmosphere in the city and at the track, and we know how much support Ferrari has there, including from the many tifosi with Italian roots.

"From a racing point of view, Montreal is never straightforward. The track is demanding on brakes, traction is important out of the slow corners and chicanes, and this year the weather and low temperatures could add another layer of complexity, especially with the Sprint format giving us limited preparation time.

"We will need to be on the ball from the first session, focus on execution, and make the most of every opportunity over the weekend," Vasseur concluded.

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The warning is clear: in a format that punishes hesitation, Ferrari’s first flying laps could set the tone for everything that follows.

Because in Montreal – especially under Sprint rules – there is no such thing as easing into the weekend.

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