Vasseur responds to 'disrespectful' speculation over his Ferrari future

Despite Ferrari's improvements in various areas under his leadership, some Italian media outlets suggested that Fred Vasseur's future might be under threat. The Frenchman labelled the talk surrounding his future at the Scuderia as “disrespectful”.

Following a successful end to their 2024 F1 season, Ferrari had been expected to contend for titles this season. However, the Italian team has endured a hugely disappointing start to the 2025 campaign despite signing Lewis Hamilton to partner Charles Leclerc.

Ahead of last weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, reports in Italy claimed that Vasseur's position was under threat, suggesting that the Frenchman might lose his position at the end of the current season.

Vasseur himself then offered his take, explaining that the talk is "disrespectful" and "very harsh" and it might have a negative effect on the Italian team as it can destabilize the Maranello-based squad.

Offering his take on rumours, Vasseur said: "I have to stay calm because I will have to finish to the stewards. It's some Italian media, it’s not all the Italian media. It’s not about myself, I think, because this I can manage.

"It’s more about the people of the team. To throw their name like this, I think it’s just disrespectful—for them, for their family. And we had the case last year with the chief of aero already. We had some other names this season. I don’t know the target. I don’t understand the target.

"Perhaps it’s to give s**t to the team, but in this case, I don’t see the point. Perhaps it’s for them the only way to exist. This is probably more the reason. But it’s really hurting the team. It’s, at one stage, a 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. And if it’s their target to put the team in this situation, they reached their goal. But I think it’s really—it's not like this that we’ll be able to win a championship. And at least not with this kind of journalist around us. I won't go to the stewards for this – so far!"

Pressed on whether it goes with the territory of being team principal of Ferrari that he has to deal with this kind of situations, Vasseur explained: "No but to be the team principal—I knew when I took the position that you are exposed, and this I think is quite easy to manage. It's more for the people of the team.

"They are working very hard and to decide one day that “this one will be replaced, this one is useless”—honestly, it's very harsh. These journalists, and I’m not putting everybody in the same basket, but they have to consider that these people, they have families, they have wives, they have kids.

"And this is completely disrespectful. But I don’t want to speak anymore about this stupidity," the Frenchman concluded.