Frédéric Vasseur expects Ferrari to respond at Formula 1’s new Madrid circuit after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc endured a costly Italian Grand Prix.
Ferrari heads to Formula 1’s new Madring circuit seeking an immediate response after collecting eight points at the Italian Grand Prix, where contact between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc added to a costly home weekend.
Team principal Frédéric Vasseur said Ferrari would “come back stronger in Madrid” after the Monza result. The Spanish Grand Prix offers a new circuit and another chance to reduce Mercedes’ substantial lead in the constructors’ championship.
Contact adds to Ferrari’s Monza setback
Hamilton dropped to 10th after contact with Leclerc during the Italian Grand Prix. Ferrari arrived at its home race expecting both drivers to fight for victory, but departed Monza with eight points.
Ferrari stayed second in the constructors’ standings on 338 points. Mercedes leads with 425, McLaren is third on 263, and Red Bull follows on 186.
Madrid gives Ferrari a quick reset.
Madring brings a new test
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix will be Formula 1’s first race at Madring, the new Madrid venue replacing Barcelona as the country’s host circuit. Its unfamiliar layout means every team will be without the Formula 1 race data available at established tracks.
Formula 3 drivers have already tested the circuit, offering an initial view of its street-style sections. Concerns have focused on the nearby walls and the risk of interruptions following driver errors.
No Formula 1 race evidence yet indicates which car will be strongest around the new layout.
Mercedes takes an 87-point lead to Madrid
Ferrari’s recovery bid starts against a Mercedes team leading both championships. Kimi Antonelli tops the drivers’ standings with 267 points after winning at Monza from 19th on the grid.
George Russell ranks second on 201 points, leaving Antonelli with a 66-point cushion. Hamilton is 76 points behind the championship leader.
Mercedes also leads Ferrari by 87 points in the teams’ competition. McLaren sits 75 points behind Ferrari after Lando Norris’ Dutch Grand Prix win moved him to 159 in the drivers’ standings, four ahead of Leclerc.
Ferrari turns to upgrades for its response
Ferrari has maintained that its 2026 upgrade program can underpin a sustained challenge over the closing part of the season. Madrid is the next competitive test for that package after the team failed to turn its Monza expectations into a significant points haul.
Vasseur has not confirmed any change to Ferrari’s management of Hamilton and Leclerc after their contact. Discussion of possible team orders is still paddock speculation, rather than declared team policy.
The immediate job is straightforward. Ferrari needs both cars to score heavily to close the 87-point gap to Mercedes.
Madrid weekend starts Thursday
The Spanish Grand Prix program begins Thursday, September 10, with the drivers’ press conference at 14:00 and further paddock coverage at 17:00. Practice takes place Friday, September 11, ahead of the first Formula 1 qualifying session and race at Madring.
That opening practice session will provide Ferrari’s first representative evidence of whether its upgraded car can deliver Vasseur’s promised Madrid response.
