Ferrari not ‘cheating’ as Vasseur hits back at Toto Wolff comments

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur hit out at the “puerile” comments from Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff over Ferrari’s SF-26 upgrade strategy.

Wolff had suggested that Ferrari will soon run out of cost cap budget as it aggressively upgrades its car, like most other teams are also doing. Vasseur is not sure why Wolff singled Ferrari out with his comment but was not impressed. Vasseur found it to be an inference of “cheating” directed at Ferrari.

Vasseur hits back at Toto Wolff Ferrari comments

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A fierce development battle was expected at the start of this new Formula 1 era. That is exactly what has transpired.

Ferrari and Red Bull have been recent big hitters. The Scuderia introduced a substantial new package in Barcelona, where Lewis Hamilton went on to take his first Ferrari grand prix win.

It was the second major suite of upgrades to hit the SF-26, following an 11-part creation for Miami, where most teams engaged in the development battle.

Red Bull rang in the changes to its RB22 for Austria, and Max Verstappen challenged Mercedes’ George Russell for the win.

Ferrari made further tweaks to the SF-26 for Austria, which proved a far more challenging race for the Scuderia.

It was after that event when Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff singled out Ferrari for scrutiny over its SF-26 development strategy. It is unclear why.

“On the chassis, we’re always bringing small enhancements here and there, because simply we’re always a little bit surprised that Ferrari can throw these huge updates at the car in the way they do,” Wolff told PlanetF1.com and other media.

“In my opinion, they need to be running out of money soon, cost cap money, because we can’t do that, simply lacking the buffer and cost cap to be able to bring so many parts in the way they do.”

Vasseur is aware of Wolff’s comments. The pair generally get on well, but Vasseur did not take too kindly to what was said.

He insisted that Ferrari is operating completely within the rules.

The cost cap is set at $215 million for F1 2026, compared to a base of $135m in 2025, with an extra $1.8m per race allowed beyond the 21st grand prix of that year.

“I found it quite ironic, coming from Toto and Mercedes,” Vasseur told PlanetF1.com and others at the British Grand Prix.

“But when Red Bull is developing, or when Mercedes is developing, they are genius. When we are developing, we are cheating.

“You have to calm down with this, that we didn’t bring more parts than Red Bull or another one.

“I don’t know if it was a joke, but…”

Vasseur was asked if he actually believes that Wolff was accusing Ferrari of cheating.

“If you think that we overshoot the cost cap, for me, it’s going into this direction.”

Vasseur was quizzed on whether he has spoken to Wolff about his comments.

“I think it was better to avoid speaking,” he replied.

Vasseur is perplexed as to why Wolff chose to name-drop Ferrari.

“If you have to ask something to Toto, go to Toto, ask him why he spoke about me, don’t ask me the question.

“Honestly, I have no clue, and I found it a bit puerile.

“We are all in the same boat, that if we can bring something at the beginning, we do it, and that it’s better to have a couple of tenths for five races than just a couple of tenths for the last two.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to find performance, sometimes a bit less. Sometimes you can have the feeling that we are bringing a big upgrade, but it is just the modification of some parts.”

Vasseur was asked whether the list of upgrades across the teams, released by the FIA on a race weekend Friday, is therefore a bit misleading.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso has spoken of continued surprise when he reads all the changes being made by rivals displayed on this document.

“The FIA is asking us to declare what we are changing as a shape on parts, but not the details,” said Vasseur.

“We are doing it for you to give you something to write or to say. Now, if you don’t want to get it, we can stop. But honestly, sometimes it’s starting to take proportion a bit…”

Vasseur paused and stopped his comment there.

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The Frenchman suggested that nailing operation, in this early stage of the ruleset, can sometimes still be more significant for lap time than upgrades.

He believes that there is too much fluctuation in the narrative surrounding Ferrari’s performances.

Asked if it is a source of satisfaction that Ferrari’s rivals are potentially getting annoyed by the Scuderia’s work in the development scrap, Vasseur replied: “Yes, sure, but keep in mind the comments after Austria, okay?

“After Barcelona, we were at the top, after Austria, we were nowhere.

“After the FP1 [at Silverstone], where you don’t know the level of fuel of the other teams, the upgrades are magic. You just have to stay calm with this.

“I think that we are at the beginning of the car. We have still a lot of room of performance in the setup, in the tyre management, and sometimes much bigger than the upgrade that we are bringing.

“It means that sometimes you can bring an upgrade, the upgrade is working, but you are doing a mistake on the setup, and you are out of the pace. We just have to stay calm.”

Ferrari sits P2 in the Constructors’ standings. Hamilton’s Barcelona win marked the only non-Mercedes grand prix victory so far in F1 2026.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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