Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle has defended Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur amid reports of his potential exit from the outfit by Italian media. Explaining that it would be “nuts” to change leadership, he argued for stability instead.
Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 broadcast, the pundit said that firing Vasseur at this point would be the “last thing Ferrari need to do at the moment” as the team struggles through the 2025 F1 season that sees them sit 197 points behind McLaren, who lead the constructors’ standings.
“It would be nuts to change Fred Vasseur. Is he the problem?” Brundle questioned. “I don’t think he’s a problem at the moment. The car’s not fast enough. Now, that’s, you know, a collaboration between everybody in the team.”
Looking back at the Scuderia’s turbulent history proves his point, with the team already on its fourth team principal in just 10 years.
“Who would you replace him with? And then a new broom comes in, and everybody keeps their head down, starts working in silos, because they’re waiting to see where they stand with their new boss.
“I mean, it’s only a year ago I did an interview with him here and everybody was celebrating what an amazing job he’d done turning Ferrari around. They had just won Monaco.
Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari
Photo by: Ferrari
“Didn’t go so well immediately after that, but you know what – this is not a Premier League club where you just keep changing the managers until eventually you hopefully find one.”
The grid walk aficionado was pressed by his colleague, Simon Lazenby, about Ferrari’s history of replacing its team chiefs: “But they did do that, didn’t they?”
“And how far did that get them?” Brundle argued.
After just nine races, the pressure is mounting on Vasseur after an underwhelming start to the season. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton share just three podium finishes between them, and while Hamilton won a sprint race, he’s yet to come close to replicating this success in a Grand Prix.
This has led to reports of Vasseur’s potential exit. To add to the rumour mill, Leclerc has also been tipped at having a foot out the door. Both of these rumours were quashed by the team and its drivers.
Hamilton was quick to fight against these narratives during the press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
“Firstly, I love working with Fred,” he said. “Fred is the main reason I’m in this team, and got the opportunity to be here, for which I’m forever grateful for.
“And we’re in this together. We’re working hard in the background. Things aren’t perfect. 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.
“And so that’s that. So, ultimately, it’s nonsense what people have written. Most people don’t know what’s going on in the background. And, it isn’t all easy.”
