Vasseur dismisses wind excuses following Ferrari qualifying shortfall

Pulse Sports Team 16:05 - 25 October 2026

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Frederic Vasseur has firmly dismissed claims that changing wind conditions hindered his drivers in United States Grand Prix qualifying, labelling such excuses as "complete bullshit."

The Scuderia set the benchmark during practice at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton topping every session. Hamilton even led FP3 for the first time in over two years, dating back to the 2024 Italian Grand Prix.

That dominant form made Ferrari firm favourites for pole position in Texas, but their practice pace failed to translate when it mattered most. Leclerc could only qualify fourth, just 0.044 seconds ahead of team-mate Hamilton in fifth.

Leclerc finished 0.232 seconds behind pole-sitter Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who made a mistake on his final Q3 flyer, leaving the door wide open for his rivals. However, none of the contenders could capitalise. With the Ferraris slotting in behind Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, Vasseur urged his team to execute better to unlock the true potential of the SF-26.

"It’s definitely mixed feelings because we had strong pace all weekend and were competitive across all practice sessions. Right up to the final corner, we were in the fight for P1," Vasseur told Sky Sports F1.

"It is what it is, it's all part of the game. The race will be a completely different story and very demanding due to high tyre degradation. The frustration comes because the potential was there right until the end of Q3. We looked strong in Q2, but in Q3 everyone struggled to improve. Maybe there was some wind catching the drivers out, but conditions were the same for everyone. We cannot blame the wind—that's complete bullshit. We needed to put together a better final lap because we had the pace for the front row at least."

From hero to zero in hundredths of a second

Vasseur also highlighted just how rapidly fortunes can shift in challenging track conditions:

"Just a few hundredths can drop you from second to sixth or seventh—from hero to zero. It all comes down to a gust of wind or braking a metre too late. We have to keep our cool when evaluating our potential. That is the reality of Formula 1, and it will be a similar story in the coming races."