All 10 Formula 1 teams face the challenge of balancing 2025 development with preparations for the new rules cycle in 2026.
2025 will bring an end to the current ground effect-dominated rules cycle with next year bringing in sweeping changes.
Next year’s cars will be shorter, narrower, marginally lighter, feature increased electrification and incorporate active aerodynamics.
Getting the balance right between pushing present development in 2025 and nailing next year’s regulations is different for every team.
For teams fighting at the sharp end, it’s a question of how late you leave switching to 2026 development in a bid to fight for 2025 title glory.
Mercedes pitched early into developing its 2022 F1 challenger amid securing the 2021 Constructors’ title and coming up agonisingly short in the Drivers’ Championship race.
Sadly that didn’t pay dividends and the Silver Arrows has been chasing its tail throughout this entire rules cycle.
A similar conundrum poses itself to Ferrari, a team that finished 14 points shy of the Constructors’ title in 2024 and is looking to fight for both titles this term.
Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur told select media including Motorsport Week that the Scuderia is taking a balanced approach to development proceedings this year.
“You know in our business that you are always trying to think about the next step and today we have at the factory guys that were focused today on the strategy, you have guys working on 2025, we have also some guys working on 2026, it means that it’s a no-man situation, it’s not that you are finishing something one day and starting the other day,” Vasseur explained.
One positive of finishing second to McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship is the extra aerodynamic testing Ferrari shall receive, with Vasseur revealing that will benefit the Scuderia’s early switch to 2026 development.
“It will be probably more for 2026 because 2025 that we end of the season, 31st of December, that’s when we will turn on the next slot for the FIA,” he said.
“I don’t want to say that all the job will be done because we will continue to develop at the beginning of 2025, the car of 2025 but we will all be fully focused on 2026 quite early into the season.”
F1 backmarkers could benefit from early switch to 2026 development
Ferrari boss Vasseur implying an early switch to 2026 development for the Italian marque is more in keeping with the mentality smaller teams employ ahead of rule cycle changes in F1.
For example, Haas scrapped its 2021 development entirely to focus on 2022 and went from scoring zero points one year to 37 the next.
Such a method could be similarly adopted by the smaller teams on the grid this year, that don’t have the budget or resources compared to F1’s giants.
In other terms, teams that have struggled under this rule cycle will be hedging their bets on 2026 bringing about a significant turn of form.
Williams Team Principal James Vowles has long been vocal about sacrificing the present for 2026 and beyond – he isn’t the only team boss who should be considering this tactic.
Sauber, after finishing 10th in 2024 would do well to switch focus early on 2026 development ahead of Audi taking over the Hinwil-based outfit.
Aston Martin, meanwhile, has been on a downward development spiral over the course of the last 18 months but has several key components coming together for 2026.
These include the technical wizardry of Adrian Newey, works Honda power and a new wind tunnel so it’s no wonder that Fernando Alonso told the Chequered Flag podcast that next year is one of “high expectations” for the Silverstone-based team.
Alpine is another team making big changes for 2026: scrapping its Renault engine development to become a Mercedes customer team.
Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore has been tasked with revitalising Alpine’s form and told Auto Motor und Sport his targets for 2026 and beyond.
“In 2026, we want to be on the podium in 50 per cent of all races,” the Italian said.
“Then you automatically win one or another race. In 2027, we must be able to compete for the title.”
However, with the Italian also setting Alpine the target of finishing races consistently in the top six during 2025, amid F1’s ever-tightening pecking order, the development balance for the Enstone-based team is just as difficult a challenge as it is for those fighting right at the front.
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