Vasseur responds to Leclerc's fears with Ferrari upgrade promise

Ferrari is ready to answer Charles Leclerc’s growing concerns about the team’s development trajectory, with Fred Vasseur confirming that fresh SF-26 upgrades are on their way “as soon as possible”.

Leclerc sounded the alarm in Baku after Ferrari once again found itself struggling to match the progress of its main rivals. The Monegasque driver had managed a surprise front-row start at a circuit where Ferrari’s straight-line weakness should have been exposed, but qualifying pace quickly gave way to a tougher reality on Sunday.

Unable to defend his position in the opening laps, Leclerc slipped to fifth before eventually recovering fourth when Oscar Piastri made a mistake. Lewis Hamilton could only manage sixth, leaving Ferrari with a respectable points haul but little evidence that its underlying competitive picture had changed.

For Vasseur, however, Baku also provided a useful reminder that the SF-26 can still deliver when the circumstances fall into place.

Ferrari knows where it is losing ground

The Ferrari boss admitted the front-row qualifying result had caught even his own team off guard, particularly given the demands Baku places on power and efficiency.

“Honestly, we were surprised to be on the first row, because it’s one is the most demanding on the engine, and we were not expecting to do so,” said Vasseur.

“But we knew even starting from the first row that the opening laps, or in case of restarting after a Safety Car and so on, it would be difficult, and it was.

“Overall, I think that we maximised what we can do in Baku with P4 and P6. For us, we can't be satisfied with P4 and P6, but in Baku I think it’s the maximum.”

Ferrari’s lack of straight-line performance has repeatedly forced the team into compromises with its aerodynamic setup. Vasseur acknowledged that trying to protect positions can actually make the problem worse.

“The biggest limitation is that when you are in this situation and you want to defend, you go in a kind of negative spiral,” he said. “Perhaps to try to run a bit lower downforce than say optimum, because you need to defend, and you are losing lap time.

“We had a similar case in Monza. There the pace was decent. The quali position was decent, but we were losing one position per straight line in the opening laps.

“The next races are a bit less demanding than this one. Let’s try to be back. And there is also a kind of convergence on the chassis, you can improve much quicker than with the engine. There is a kind of convergence of performance on the chassis.”

That final point is particularly significant for Ferrari. Vasseur conceded that the advantage the Scuderia once enjoyed in chassis performance has been eroded as its rivals have continued to develop.

“I think the advantage that we had on the chassis is smaller, or not there anymore.”

Vasseur promises Ferrari response

Leclerc’s frustration has therefore arrived at a moment when Ferrari knows it cannot simply rely on the SF-26’s existing strengths. With McLaren and Mercedes continuing to introduce development packages, the Scuderia needs its own response – and Vasseur says the wait will not be long.

“I won’t give you the date, but soon,” he said.

Rather than committing to a specific round, the Frenchman pointed to the rolling development race that has now become a defining feature of the season.

“Now it’s like this that we are all bringing upgrades at different places. I think McLaren did something this weekend, and Merc it will probably be next weekend, with Malaysia and [Kuala Lumpur-based Title and Technical Partner] Petronas.

“We will do it as soon as possible. For sure, sometimes you do steps, but it’s not always paying off, because sometimes you have to fine tune.

“Now I think everybody is switching to the next year’s programme, because even if it’s into the continuity, we have some changes on the regulations, and we have to anticipate this.”

• Read also: Leclerc urges Ferrari to react to Red Bull and McLaren surge

That final balancing act means Ferrari is effectively developing on two fronts: trying to close the gap with the current SF-26 while already preparing for the next-generation regulations.

For Leclerc, the immediate priority is clear. Baku showed that Ferrari can still spring a surprise over one lap, but the race exposed how quickly that advantage can disappear.

Vasseur’s promise of imminent upgrades offers the Scuderia a chance to ensure its rivals do not turn that vulnerability into a permanent fixture.

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