Ferrari’s 2026 leap gives Fred Vasseur "breathing room", says Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher believes Ferrari’s strong winter progress has eased the pressure on Fred Vasseur and given Lewis Hamilton the platform to thrive in 2026

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has argued that the "superb job" that Ferrari has done over the winter break will have taken the pressure off team principal Fred Vasseur.

After a difficult 2025 season, which resulted in the Maranello outfit finishing fourth in the constructors' standings, Ferrari has arrived in 2026 with competitive machinery, especially at race starts. After just one race weekend, it currently sits second in the standings behind Mercedes.

"You have to say that they’ve now closed the gap a bit. Over the winter they did a superb job. That also takes pressure off everyone," Schumacher told Sky Sports Germany in Shanghai.

"First of all, it gives the team principal some breathing room. There were a lot of questions and quite a bit of unrest. But in the end, he brought in all the people who have now built this car. That took time, but now it has worked, and that gives him some room to breathe.

"And of course also for Lewis Hamilton. I have to say, despite all the criticism last year, which was justified, you have to say now: a great job again in the final lap. Even if it’s by a thousandth of a second, beating Charles Leclerc like that — à la bonne heure — you have to deliver that. And tomorrow they will be strong as well, I’m sure of it."

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images

He added: "It’s about patience, but also about having two drivers who can clearly handle the same car well and therefore develop in the same direction. That was an issue last year. Lewis came in and couldn’t deal with the car at all.

"Now everything has changed, he’s comfortable with it. That means Ferrari has a clear direction and two experienced drivers who can of course also help with things like the battery management. They can say, 'OK, I don’t need it there,' and that helps as well."