Ferrari Drivers Quietly Again Fred Vasseur as Stress Mounts Over Workforce Principal’s Future
As questions intensify over Fred Vasseur’s future at Ferrari, the opinions of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are prone to carry weight throughout the workforce’s management. The French workforce principal, who took over the reins initially of 2023, is at present within the remaining 12 months of his contract, and whereas Ferrari has publicly dismissed rumors of an imminent dismissal, there was no affirmation of contract renewal talks both.
Forward of the Canadian Grand Prix, Ferrari firmly denied reviews suggesting Vasseur’s place was beneath menace. These rumors, principally circulated by Italian media shops, have been dismissed as hypothesis, however the lack of readability surrounding his future has solely fueled the uncertainty. Former F1 driver and Sky Sports activities analyst Martin Brundle commented that it could be “insanity” for Ferrari to half methods with Vasseur at this stage, even when the workforce has not met its efficiency expectations in 2025. Brundle believes that continuity and powerful management are important to long-term success, and a sudden change on the high would solely add instability.
Throughout Thursday’s media duties in Montreal, each Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton confirmed public help for his or her present workforce boss. Though the origins of the rumors stay unclear, their feedback counsel there isn’t a inside push for Vasseur’s departure. Leclerc, particularly, is alleged to carry the Frenchman in excessive regard, having constructed a robust relationship with him courting again to their time collectively within the junior classes.
Sky Sports activities pundit and 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg, who additionally labored with the French supervisor earlier in his profession, weighed in on the scenario. Nico Rosberg emphasised that Fred Vasseur is extremely revered by those that know him personally, describing him as a pure chief with a transparent imaginative and prescient. Based on Nico Rosberg, Charles Leclerc has privately shared his perception that Fred Vasseur is doing a superb job beneath tough circumstances, and that the Frenchman deserves extra time to form the workforce in his picture. Nico Rosberg burdened that remodeling Ferrari’s tradition is not any small job and that progress will take time, notably in such a high-pressure atmosphere.
The previous System 1 driver additionally identified the damaging nature of the media stress in Italy, noting that fixed headlines calling for the Ferrari workforce boss’ removing create pointless stress throughout the workforce. He believes this scrutiny solely provides to the problem Fred Vasseur faces as he works to convey Ferrari again to championship-winning type.
Lewis Hamilton, who will formally be part of Ferrari in 2025, additionally made it clear that his belief in Fred Vasseur was instrumental in his choice to signal with the Scuderia. He has expressed full confidence that Fred Vasseur is the appropriate individual to guide Ferrari into a brand new period and supply him with a aggressive automobile able to securing his elusive eighth world title.
Lewis Hamilton’s unwavering help for the previous Alfa Romeo workforce boss has drawn comparisons to Michael Schumacher’s backing of Jean Todt within the mid-Nineties. At the moment, Michael Schumacher defended Jean Todt throughout inside energy struggles at Ferrari, even reportedly threatening to go away if the Frenchman was eliminated. Jean Todt in the end stayed and went on to guide Ferrari by some of the dominant durations in F1 historical past, with Schumacher successful 5 titles beneath his management.
As Ferrari prepares for the Canadian Grand Prix, the workforce finds itself trailing McLaren by a staggering 197 factors within the constructors’ standings. Regardless of the hole and rising exterior stress, the temper contained in the workforce seems to be one in every of continued perception in Fred Vasseur’s imaginative and prescient. Whether or not Ferrari’s high brass agree—and whether or not that perception interprets into long-term dedication—stays to be seen.