Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur believes the team will decide on focussing development towards next year after the first “four or five races” of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The Scuderia narrowly missed out on the Constructors’ title in 2024 and heads into the final season of the current rules cycle poised to challenge once again.
To do so, the team has made, what Charles Leclerc calls a series of “small steps” with SF-25 that add up to a heavily revised concept.
This includes, but isn’t limited to a switch from pushrod to pull-rod front suspension, which Technical Director Loic Serra believes “is about finding some space to boost the aerodynamic development” of the car throughout the season.
But with seismic changes coming to the aerodynamic and power unit regulations in 2026, Ferrari can’t spend all its resources developing its 2025 machine and risk failing to capitalise on the incoming formula.
Speaking to select media including Motorsport Week, Vasseur revealed that Ferrari’s championship standing will have a direct influence on when it will switch focus to the 2026 regulations.
“I think it will be the same for everybody,” he said.
“It’s completely true that we are in the last year of the regulation.
“It’s obvious for everybody that at one stage you will have to make a choice between 2026 and 2025, but I think the main driver of the choice will be the situation to the championship.
“The current car, the 2025 car, is the extension of 2024.
“At the end of the day, it’s always the extension of the previous one.
“It’s more the situation after four or five races that will dictate the situation and the choice between 2025 and 2026.”
Ferrari will be fully focussed on 2026 by the Summer
Vasseur implies that should Ferrari be in title contention after the first few rounds of the 2025 season, it will continue to split development between this year’s car and the Sucderia’s challenger for the new regulations.
If Ferrari has failed to meet those expectations, he sees little point in continuing to develop the SF-25 and regardless of the team’s standings by summertime, the Italian squad will be fully focused on 2026.
What Vasseur believes will happen, however, is that Ferrari will be engaged in a year-long battle with McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull and development will be a balancing act.
“We know that the lead time is quite important for big parts and probably that in the summertime, we will all be fully focused on 2026,” he said.
“If you have a look at the previous change of regulation, I think it was at the end of 2021, when you had the fight between Mercedes and Red Bull, they were able to bring upgrades on the last couple of events.
“You can still have one or two sessions per period of the FIA for the development of the current car, but not after September or October because it makes no sense.
“But again, even if you have a plan, even if you decide now that we do like this, like this, like this, let’s see after a couple of races into the championship where you are.
“If you are one second behind, it makes no sense to continue to develop.
“If you are one second above, you can be focused a little bit on 2026, but I think these two scenarios are not realistic at all.
“I think it will be the continuity of last year with four teams able to win races, able to win the championship, and it will be a good fight.”
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