Vasseur: With this car, we are only at the beginning of the journey.

      Team Ferrari leader Frederic Vasseur on the team's progress and the car's potential…

      Question: After the victory in Barcelona, Lewis called the Austrian stage a "real test" for the team. How do you assess Ferrari's performance in Spielberg?

      Frederic Vasseur: Not our best race. We performed decently in qualifying, but it didn't work out in the race. We are working to avoid a repeat of such a scenario this weekend.

      We are all currently at the first stage of developing these cars. We need to figure out the tires. Everyone's results are fluctuating a bit more than last year — after five years with the same car and the same tires, we are now making some mistakes in settings and tire management. This happened much less frequently last year. I think this is the reason for the fluctuations in results from week to week.

      Question: What did you learn in Austria that will help you perform better in Silverstone?

      Frederic Vasseur: I will keep that to myself.

      Question: Lewis clearly enjoys the 2026 races, while Charles is still uncomfortable. What are his issues, and what solutions do you propose to help?

      Frederic Vasseur: It seems that after the races in China and Japan, you had the opposite opinion. If you finished ahead of your teammate twice and then conceded to him twice, that doesn't change the picture. In the last two or three races, Charles has had a bit more difficulty with settings, but last week in Austria he started from the front row.

      Question: How did you help him? Did he need any personal support?

      Frederic Vasseur: I think all drivers need the team's support, and the team needs the drivers' support. We work as one team in any situation. The team supports the driver, and the driver pushes the team forward.

      Question: You are actively refining the car. How difficult is it to find a balance between implementing innovations and budget constraints?

      Frederic Vasseur: Are you talking about Toto's comments? I found it amusing, especially considering it was Toto from Mercedes who said it. When Red Bull is developing or when Mercedes is developing, they are geniuses. But when we are developing, we are cheating. I think you should calm down about that. We brought no more innovations than Red Bull or anyone else. I don't know if it was a joke, but…

      Question: Do you think Toto accused you of cheating?

      Frederic Vasseur: If someone thinks we are exceeding the spending limit, then we are doing everything right.

      Question: Twenty years ago, you won both GP2 races here with Lewis. What would his victory in Silverstone for Ferrari mean to you?

      Frederic Vasseur: For Ferrari and for me, these are different things. Yes, 20 years ago we had a great weekend. I think it was after that weekend that McLaren decided to put Lewis in the car the following year. It was an emotional moment.

      As for Ferrari and everyone else, I think the number of fans, like this weekend, is incredible. The level of enthusiasm around the race is just amazing. Even on Thursday, the stands were almost completely filled; it really is something special.

      Question: Many teams are actively implementing innovations this season. Why did Toto single you out? Do you have enough resources to maintain such a pace throughout the season?

      Frederic Vasseur: Ask Toto why he talked about me. Don't ask me about it. I have no idea; it seemed a bit strange to me.

      In my opinion, the more speed you can achieve at the beginning of the season, the better. It's better to gain a couple of tenths at the beginning of summer when there are many races ahead than in late autumn when the season is almost over.

      Sometimes it may feel like we are making significant changes, but it's just a modification of some details, nothing more.

      Question: Lewis is having a great season. Are you already discussing a contract extension with him? He will be 42 next year. How long do you think he can continue racing for Ferrari?

      Frederic Vasseur: Lewis and I have a contract for next season; it's too early to discuss an extension.

      Question: Fred, back to refining the car. Are you pleased that competitors are talking about Ferrari and perhaps a bit annoyed by what you are doing? Does that mean Ferrari is working better?

      Frederic Vasseur: Remember the comments after Austria? After Barcelona, we were praised; after Austria, we were criticized. Don't rush to conclusions.

      We are just at the beginning of the journey with this car. We have great potential to improve its efficiency, to work on settings and tires, and sometimes it's much greater than the updates we bring. Sometimes you can bring an update, it works, but you make a mistake in settings and lose pace. You just need to stay calm.