Frédéric Vasseur reacts to rumors of crisis within the Scuderia Ferrari
As numerous rumors swirl about the situation at Ferrari, Frédéric Vasseur has spoken up to address them.
The Italian press has been buzzing since the Bahrain Grand Prix. Very dissatisfied with their “national team”, Italian newspapers do not mince their words and rumors of internal crisis are rampant. Frédéric Vasseur, boss of Ferrari, reacted in an interview with Auto Hebdo.
The brain drain
The resignation of David Sanchez, one of the designers of the SF-23, is obviously a major setback for the rest of the season. Especially since he is apparently not the only one wanting to leave Maranello. Laurent Mekies, the race director, is also reportedly heading for the exit, but Vasseur has vetoed it and the situation is currently at a standstill. Furthermore, several contracts are coming to an end and Ferrari is not immune to having to deal with other departures. This is bad news because even if the team manages to hire new people, they will not be able to start working until next year, as the regulations require in order to prevent technology transfer from one team to another. However, this reaction from the staff is inevitable according to Fred Vasseur.
There are people who were very close to Mattia and who prefer to leave, which doesn’t bother me. And there are others who may have feared for their future for a moment.
Leclerc-Vigna meeting
Our Italian colleagues from Gazzetta dello Sport also claimed that Charles Leclerc, very upset after the first missed Grand Prix, would have asked to meet with Ferrari’s president, John Elkann. A rumor nuanced by Vasseur: there is no reason to worry since these meetings are normal and regularly scheduled.
(After the winter tests, we spoke with the drivers, Elkann, and Vigna, and we will all talk again after Imola. These meetings are planned, he assures.)
Exactly, the Vasseur-Vigna relationship was also the subject of rumors. According to the Italian media, the Frenchman allegedly complained about his limited scope of action, while the team principal of the Scuderia contradicted these claims. « I have resources and decision-making power that I have never had anywhere else. That is the reality of the situation! »
Do not panic after just one race
Finally, a little annoyed, Frédéric Vasseur doesn’t understand the amount of criticism that is falling on his team after just one race.
I find it difficult to understand why the team becomes a target after just one race. As for the correlation between simulation and the track, we are on track. That’s why I asked everyone to remain focused on performance and find solutions to reliability issues, as the championship is long.
« Just because you didn’t win the first match doesn’t mean you’re out of the game. Bahrain was bad in some aspects and good in others! »
