Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur warns Melbourne form won’t define 2026 season

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur issued a reminder that the competitive picture at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix is unlikely to shape the whole season, given the expected rate of development in 2026.

Vasseur explained that, after pre-season testing in Bahrain, it is “very, very difficult” to paint a full picture on relative performance, and while he would prefer to be at the front at the season opener, that does not necessarily mean it will be the case for the whole season.

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur says Melbourne form won’t define 2026

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Charles Leclerc completed the fastest lap in Bahrain testing after Lewis Hamilton was the quickest driver in Barcelona shakedown running, and while pre-season testing is a famously unreliable barometer of an exact pecking order, Ferrari’s rivals are expecting the Scuderia to be among the frontrunners come Melbourne.

In fact, Ferrari and Mercedes have been highlighted by several paddock figures as the standouts of the early part of this new era, with McLaren and Red Bull set to make up the top four teams come the Australian Grand Prix – though in what competitive order, it is not yet known.

The Ferrari team principal emphasised that the unknowns heading into the season remain exactly that, and while he would prefer to start the season on the front foot, that may not be a precursor for how the whole year may unfold, with teams constantly working on improvements to their respective packages.

“I think it’s very, very difficult to have a clear picture of performance,” Vasseur told PlanetF1.com and others in Bahrain, “and I think the most important thing is that the relative performance of Melbourne won’t be probably the picture at the end of the season.

“All the teams on the grid [have] a huge rate of development today. It means that it will be more based on the capacity of the team to develop and to bring parts quickly on track than on the picture of the performance in Melbourne – but I prefer to be in a good shape in Melbourne. But overall, so far, it’s still tight.

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“I think [in Bahrain testing], you had two cars within less than two hundredths of a second, and we have no clue about the engine, about the level of fuel, of tons of parameters that is making a much bigger difference than the two hundredths of difference between the two cars.”

The grid was closely-contested throughout the field last season, with less than a second often having covered the entire 20-car pack in Q1 sessions in 2025.

With new regulations taking over, the teams are expected to spread out in performance levels once again this season, and Vasseur explained that it will take time for the teams to converge once again.

However, the sport’s budget cap, ATR [aerodynamic testing restrictions] and other equalising factors should help speed the process along compared to the previous rule set.

“I don’t have a clear explanation, but the convergence of performance will arrive, but will arrive after seasons,” he said.

“If you have a look, last year, it was probably the best season in terms of close competition, but it was also after five years of the same regulation.

“Probably this year, the gap will be a bit bigger, but we’ll have the same convergence – and I’m sure that, during the season, you will have a catch-up from the team who are today at the back, and they could even be faster.

“You have also the allowance of wind tunnel time [ATR], which is making a difference during the season. I’m sure that even if you start with different potential, different tap time, we will have this kind of convergence quite soon.”

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