Mercedes engine case, Ferrari is waiting in the wings
Mercedes is still far ahead and, even with the drivers’ positions reversed compared to the Melbourne result, secures its second consecutive double in the 2026 World Championship. However, there are elements to make Fred Vasseur and Ferrari smile too: the SF-26 is certainly not yet able to duel on equal terms with the championship leaders, but it is not that far from the goal of doing so, also considering the incoming technical innovations, the changes to the compression ratio measurement, and the possibility of working on the engine’s horsepower with the long-awaited first intervention of the ADUO system (designed by the Federation to allow those behind to work on recovering performance compared to the top of the class). The team principal is indeed confident of being able to make a comeback, but at the same time, he seems not to want to put too much pressure on the team ahead of the next events.
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Team principal Fred Vasseur speaks
“I think that, overall across the weekends, Mercedes is faster than Ferrari– explains the Cavallino team principal to Sky microphones after the checkered flag of the Chinese GP – even if it also depends on the sessions. However, on average, they are always 3, 4, or 5 tenths better than us. Then, in the race, when you go into overtaking mode, we can survive for a few laps, stressing the tires a bit more than they do, but when Mercedes has a clear track and clean air, we are a few tenths per lap slower, as was seen today as well. They have a clear advantage on the straight; we must push on this aspect. We clearly know what we have to do and we must continue to work on development, but this is the current situation”.
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The French manager, however, does not want to mislead the fans, apparently continuing with the usual media tactic undertaken this winter that forbids him from any kind of proclamation: “I don’t think we should expect too much from the new directive, but we need to understand when there will be the possibility to develop the engine (exploiting precisely the system that the FIA calls ADUO, ed.), and that is where we expect a lot. Then obviously we shouldn’t just work on the engine, but on everything. There is no magic wand that can fix the whole car, but many small individual details on which we must improve. There are the tires, the aerodynamics, the chassis, the suspension, everything. So we must maintain this mentality and continue with the development of the project”. “So far we have been ahead of McLaren and Red Bull, but they too will push and react, so we must maintain this positive momentum”, concluded Fred Vasseur.
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