Vasseur hits back at Wolff over Ferrari budget doubts

Fred Vasseur has pushed back at Toto Wolff after the Mercedes team principal questioned whether Ferrari and McLaren would have enough budget to keep developing through the season. The Ferrari boss insisted his team will bring updates at the same pace until the final race.

Why it matters:

The cost cap has become a battleground as teams manage resources. With the budget cap raised to $215 million this year due to regulation changes, the rapid development rate has stretched spending. Wolff admitted Mercedes is feeling the squeeze, but Vasseur rejected any suggestion Ferrari faces similar constraints.

The Details:

• Wolff said Mercedes lacks money to put developments on the car and is spacing out upgrades to optimize championship points.
• He suggested rivals may have different spending strategies, saying: "You will see towards the end of the season whether they are going to be able to deploy as much stuff onto the car as they do now."
• Vasseur responded sharply: "I don't appreciate when someone is speaking about my budget without any clue."
• He added: "We will continue to develop until the last race with the same pace, and we will have a buffer with the cost cap."
• Ferrari has front-loaded a series of upgrade packages across the flyaway and European rounds, drawing scrutiny from rivals.

What's next:

The development race continues at this Saturday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where teams will bring their latest parts. Vasseur's commitment to keep pushing signals Ferrari intends to fight for every point in the constructors' battle.