Ferrari’s ‘top management’ have done something worrying in response to Fred Vasseur exit rumours

Follow us on Google Discover

The future of Fred Vasseur has been one of the main talking points in the F1 paddock, after reports from Italian media suggested that he could be heading for the exit.

Vasseur was appointed as the Ferrari team principal in 2023 to replace Mattia Binotto, and immediately set to improve their trackside communications and strategy after weak points were exposed the previous season.

Ferrari wanted the Frenchman to bring them back to winning ways, and the appointment of Lewis Hamilton was seen as a great way to achieve that, but their 2025 challenger has not been able to match rivals.

The Italian outfit currently sits second in the Constructors’ Championship after 11 races, but so far they have not won a race, with Hamilton’s Sprint victory in China being their best result.

Now, there are calls in Italian media that Vasseur should be replaced after Ferrari’s downturn in form, and journalist Joe Saward believes the Ferrari board is not doing one thing they did with Jean Todt, which could be an indication that his job is on the line.

Fred Vasseur has not received support from Ferrari board

Vasseur had to miss the recent Austrian GP due to personal reasons, but the team’s form was still impacted by their inherent car problems.

Upgrades planned for the British GP are set to put them back on track, but Saward believes Vasseur is not getting one key piece of support that enabled Jean Todt to stay in his post when he also received criticism in the media.

“This sort of thing is not unusual at Ferrari and for those who think history is useful it is worth remembering that Todt was in this kind of situation at the end of his third year at Maranelo, back in 1996. He was on the verge of quitting when Michael Schumacher said that he would leave the team if Todt was no longer there and Ferrari Presidente Luca Montezemolo then jumped in and supported Todt. The storm blew itself out,” wrote Saward.

“The difference today is that as Vasseur is being executed with the old Chinese technique of lingchi (death by a thousand cuts) no-one is coming to his rescue. The top management at Ferrari is as silent as lambs. There was some progress with the SF-25 chassis in Austria with Charles Leclerc able to finish on the podium, but the harsh reality is he was still 20 secs behind the McLarens at the finish. And that is three-tenths a lap.”

READ MORE: Who is Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur? Everything you need to know

One man on ‘everyone’s lips’ as Fred Vasseur replacement

Should Ferrari decide to make a change, Italian media believe that Antonello Coletta could be Vasseur’s replacement as team principal.

Vasseur’s contract with the team runs out at the end of the season, but there is so far no indication that it will be extended.

Coletta has a background in management, having acted as sporting director for Forti Corse before working for both Peugeot and Alfa Romeo.

The 58-year-old joined Ferrari in 1997 and worked on their Ferrari Challenge project, before being appointed as their head of sporting activities in 2014.