VF-26 Launch - Andrea De Zordo Q&A

Work on the VF-26 started a long time ago, but how do you manage two car programs at the same time, and how do you split the team?

“It actually started in the second half of 2024 with a small group looking at the concept of the new car, and it remained with that group until the launch of the VF-25. The split between resources from there continued to increase towards the 2026 program, fully switching over after the summer break last season. We had a small group still working on the VF-25 until pretty late on due to the tight championship fight, and that was a challenge to manage. It was about deciding the main points of focus for both 2025 and 2026, without losing too much time on what we knew would be a big season.”

For 2026, what are the big changes being made to cars?

“I think the most visible changes will be the different-looking front wing and rear wing, the addition of a board in the side of the car before the floor that wasn’t there before, and the fact that the cars will be slightly smaller. Then, when the car is on track, fans will see that both front and rear wings now move, but differently from previous years because they won’t only open and close during DRS straights, but whenever the driver chooses. In my opinion, the biggest change isn’t visible and it’s the different split of energy for the power unit, between the internal combustion engine and the electrical part. It’s a monumental change and one that will impact the way we go racing.”

Can you provide the key milestones up to the first collective running in Barcelona?

“The process has been a marathon, and when we think we’re at the end of it, I suspect it will just be the beginning. The first milestone was the test of the dummy chassis and the homologation of the proper chassis. We had to work promptly and were obviously concerned that if we had to fix something, that would mean a lot of extra work. All was fine thankfully, and that is what I’d consider the first milestone.

“Another big moment was the homologation of the front wing, the definition of the mechanism for it, and the lab test of it, to prove what we thought was fine. When we arrived to the simulator for the first time and considered where the lap time comes from next year, we knew it was going to be quite different. It was the first assessment of what we were doing and to check that we understood where to proceed. Then finally, fire-up."

Noting the immense task at hand, what are the areas of achievement you’d like to highlight from the Design Office?

“There’s lots, but I’ll focus on 2026 now and won’t look back! What I have been very impressed with is the work ethic and determination of this group. They’re working very hard, very long days – often into the middle of the night – and they’re not doing that because I’m telling them to, but because they want to. They’re all deeply invested, and it’s a big sign of maturity and team spirit, so I think and hope that everyone is proud of this achievement.”

Do you have any early insight or predictions for the season?

“It’s definitely not just to finish a race because we’re not here to participate, we’re here to challenge. We’ve put so much work in because we want to produce the best possible car and to be as competitive as possible, and we’ll be looking to develop for round one already. There are too many unknowns to guess where anyone will be, it’s very unpredictable, but we’re going to start to discover a lot over the next month.”

How do you think these cars are going to evolve over the season as rules are still being interpreted by teams? E.g. Where do you see the biggest gains taking place etc?

“It’s a good question. It’s difficult to predict now before the first race, and we’re always interested to see if someone has come up with something new. This year, that’s very relevant because literally everything is new, including the power unit. There’s going to be a lot of work initially on both the aerodynamics and power unit, and in both I expect there to be a fast evolution – what that will be – I can’t say.”

With the new regulations, do you think there is more weight on aero-development or will the focus be more technically led via PU/battery etc.?

“For sure, the new regulations will change the balance between aero and energy management. Initially with the PU, as it’s all so new, there is - not necessarily more to gain, but a lot more to lose if you don’t do well. To understand how it works and how to maximize that will probably be the most important part.

“After a certain time, when drivers, teams and also power unit suppliers learn more about this new way of racing, then gradually the performance on the energy side will converge between competitors. The main differentiator will then go back to being on the aero side, but I think initially, managing that energy side will be critical this year.”