Frédéric Vasseur confirms that the SF-26 will debut new parts on the wing and the floor. The Italian team recognizes that the W17 is far superior, but trusts in reducing the gap: "We know that the rivals will also improve," warns the Scuderia boss.
The nearly five-week wait is coming to an end: Ferrari arrives at the Miami Grand Prix with the intention of making a statement and proving that it can stand up to a Mercedes that, so far, has been unreachable. Frédéric Vasseur, the Scuderia boss, confirmed that the SF-26 will debut a package of aerodynamic upgrades at the Florida circuit.
"We are very happy to return to the track after such a long break, something quite unusual in the middle of the season. We have been working hard in Maranello over the past few weeks to analyze the data collected in the first races and prepare as best as possible for this event," Vasseur declared.
Optimism in the Italian factory is moderate, but realistic. Preseason testing already made it clear that the SF-26 had been born well, placing it alongside the Mercedes W17 as the fastest car on the grid. However, in the first three rounds of the championship, reality has been stubborn: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have taken all the wins, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have barely managed to add a few podiums.
"We will bring some aerodynamic upgrades, but we know that our competitors will do the same," Vasseur acknowledged, who also wanted to lower expectations: "That's why it will be important to stay focused, face the weekend with humility and make the most of our work in the only free practice session available," he explained.
Miami's sprint format complicates the challenge even more, with only one free practice session (FP1), teams will have little time to adjust the new parts and find the optimal setup. Ferrari trusts that the work done on the simulator and the two filming days at Monza have helped them complete their homework.
The Scuderia's goal is clear: to close the gap to Mercedes. The W17 has proven to be far superior in race pace, but the Maranello team believes it has room for improvement, especially in aerodynamics. The new parts to be debuted in Miami will affect the front wing, the floor, and the rear wing (the so-called "Macarena"), which has already been seen in previous tests.
Vasseur, however, called for calm: "We will focus on our own weekend and try to get the best possible result," he stated. Ferrari's recent history is full of exciting starts that later fizzled out. In 2022, Charles Leclerc had a 50-point lead over Max Verstappen, but Red Bull came back, leaving the Monegasque frustrated.
Now, with a championship just beginning, the Scuderia hopes Miami will be the turning point. Lewis Hamilton, who has yet to win with Ferrari, and Leclerc, who is looking for his first win of the year, need the upgrades to work.