Ferrari Formula 1 boss Fred Vasseur has taken aim at the Italian media after question marks were raised over his future at the team.
The points were made by heavyweight Italian publications Gazzetta della Sport and Corriere della Sera, while the impact made by engineer Loïc Serra, who joined from Mercedes in the winter, had also been debated.
Vasseur has grown frustrated over continual speculation about his future and that of key personnel within his team, saying ‘enough is enough’ and that journalists need to remember they are dealing with “people and not things.”
“It’s not about myself, this I can manage,” added Vasseur, who joined Ferrari from Sauber in 2023.
“It’s more about the people in the team and throwing their name like this is disrespectful for them and for their family. We had the case last year with the chief of aero [Diego Tondi] and we have had another (member of staff) named this season.
“I don’t know the target. I don’t understand the target. Perhaps it’s to give shit to the team, but in this case I don’t see the point. Perhaps, for them, it’s the only way to exist but it’s really hurting the team.
Loïc Serra, Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
“At one stage, it’s the lack of focus and when you are fighting for the championship, every single detail makes the difference. And from the beginning of the weekend we are just speaking about this.
“If it’s their target to put the team in this situation, they reach their goal. But I think it’s really… It’s not like this that we will be able to win a championship. And at least not with this kind of journalist around us.”
Vasseur continued: “At one stage, we have to consider that the people who are in every single team of the grid are working very hard.
“They are putting in all of their energy, sometimes they’re making some sacrifice for their family, so to put names like this in the paper, I think it’s very, very harsh.
“You have to understand that when a journalist is saying that Ferrari will recruit this name for this position, there is someone within this position and on the Sunday evening the guy says ‘OK, tomorrow morning I won’t have a job anymore if what’s in the newspaper is true, I will have someone in my position’.
“We are in this situation on a daily basis now in Italy and it is too much. If they want to be successful, we have to be able to work in a clean environment and we are not in this situation.”
The Ferrari factory in Maranello
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Vasseur says he will address the matter with his staff in Maranello to assure them of their futures in the team.
In an extended rant, he added: “I’m going on Monday morning to see the guys and to say ‘guys, it’s not true’. But I’m not a fireman and it’s just a matter of respect.
“I know we are at this point now that they [Italian press] are able to spread a rumour about someone that I never met in my life and that we consider we are speaking about people.
“We are not speaking about things, and everybody needs to have a bit of respect.”
What’s the problem?
If one listened to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s staunch defence of Vasseur, it is perhaps difficult to understand what all the fuss is about.
Both drivers delivered impassioned replies to questions ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix that Vasseur’s position was in doubt and that Ferrari was considering replacing him.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
While Ferrari insisted the story was so nonsense that “it’s not even worth commenting on”, Hamilton and Leclerc were much more open about their views.
“Things aren’t perfect,” said new signing Hamilton, who won the 2006 GP2 title with Vasseur as his ART boss. “But for me, I’m here to work with the team, but also with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top.”
When quizzed about the speculation, Leclerc added: “We have a vision that we share, us three – Fred, Lewis and myself, in order to try and get back to winning. And we’ve been working to put that all together. This is our plan. And we should stick to it.”
A glance at the constructors’ championship shows Ferrari sitting in second, albeit a whopping 197 points behind leaders McLaren after nine rounds. Ferrari has also scored back-to-back podiums in the previous two F1 races – Monaco and Spain – with Leclerc.
Last year, too, Vasseur took McLaren down to the wire in the fight for the constructors’ championship as Ferrari narrowly missed out by just 14 points. It also enjoyed highs such as wins in Australia, Monaco, Austin, Mexico and a historic victory in Monza.
However, this season has not yielded the same level of success. Ferrari has made a slow start to the campaign – Hamilton’s victory in the Shanghai sprint was quickly tempered after both drivers were disqualified from the grand prix for failing post-race scrutineering.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Progress has been slow, but also Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has taken time for him to adjust. It was always going to be a culture shock and require patience, as the seven-time world champion has not been able to adjust as quickly as he would like.
The growing pains have also been played out rather publicly. His own frustration has been compounded by a succession of fractious radio messages with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
Vasseur’s political position at Ferrari is tricky. As a non-Italian-speaking Frenchman, the adjustment to the team’s culture is not straightforward. The man he replaced in the role, Mattia Binotto, still has plenty of support within Maranello.
The final element is the inherent relationship with the Italian media, who are well known to hold political sway.
It is unlikely his criticism will dissuade their opinions, and could now simply fuel speculation that he could leave the team when his contract expires at the end of the season.
