Australian F1 GP | Ferrari, Vigna: "A good start, but we want more."

The first round of the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship has given positive feedback at home Ferrari. Third and fourth place, respectively conquered by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in Australian Grand Prix played at Albert Park in Melbourne yesterday, in fact, they represent a solid result but not yet fully in line with the ambitions of the Prancing Horse.

Ferrari CEO drew up an initial assessment of the weekend Benedict Vigna, who analyzed the race and the team's moment at the end of the event.

Vigna, interviewed by sky sports f1 In his post-race remarks, he first highlighted the spectacle offered by the early stages of the Australian race: "At the start, it was very interesting, very enjoyable, very exciting and engaging," explained the Maranello CEO, highlighting how the race immediately demonstrated great intensity and battles on the track, as seen in the initial battle between Leclerc and George Russell's Mercedes. "We are certainly not satisfied with third and fourth place. We are aiming for higher positions." These words clearly reiterate the Maranello team's goal: to return to a consistent fight for victories and the top of the standings.

At the same time, the CEO urges everyone to read the result in the context of a season that has just begun. More than the standings from the first race, what matters most at this stage is the analysis of the data collected during testing and the race weekend: "I'd say it's a good start," Vigna emphasized. "We can continue to learn; we have a lot of data."

Gathering technical information is one of the most important aspects of this start to the season. Between the winter tests, which took place between late January and mid-February in Spain and Bahrain, and the first race of the season, the teams have accumulated a wealth of data that will now need to be analyzed to improve the performance of their respective cars.

"We've collected a lot of data since Bahrain and Barcelona," Vigna recalled, later emphasizing the team's work and acknowledging the commitment of everyone involved in the Ferrari project. This project coincided with the introduction of the new technical regulations.

"I'm happy for the whole team," he said. "I'm happy for Fred, the drivers, the engineers, and the mechanics, both here and in Maranello." Among the topics Vigna addressed was energy management during the race, an increasingly central element in team strategies under the new regulatory framework: "The idea of ​​using energy, rationing it, and using it more effectively seems very compelling to me."

Despite the initial indications from Australia, Ferrari's CEO urges caution before drawing definitive conclusions about the championship's hierarchy: "We need to see the next races. This was the first. All the teams have a lot of data. Everyone will go home and start studying to understand how to improve." This ongoing process of analysis and development will continue throughout the championship and could shift the balance of power between the teams over the coming weeks.

Before leaving the paddock, the Ferrari manager wanted to finally deliver two clear messages to the team. The first is recognition for the work done in recent months: "I'm happy for them; they deserve it because they've worked so hard." The second concerns the attitude with which to approach the rest of the season: "It's a good start. We're staying cohesive, united, with our wheels on the ground, and we're continuing to learn. Now we have the data, let's keep working."

For Ferrari, therefore, Australia represents only the first step in a long and competitive world championship. There are positive signs, but the road to a stable return to the top still remains to be traveled.