Fred Vasseur leaves Alfa Romeo to head Scuderia Ferrari

After more than five years at the helm of Alfa Romeo/Sauber, Fred Vasseur is heading towards greener – or rather, redder – pastures: Scuderia Ferrari. The latter announced in a statement on Tuesday, December 13th, that they have chosen the renowned French engineer to take over from Mattia Binotto, who resigned two weeks ago. Fred Vasseur will join Scuderia Ferrari on January 9th as Team Principal and General Manager.

With over 25 years of experience in motorsport, Fred Vasseur will be responsible for leading a team that has undoubtedly disappointed this year, despite finally having a competitive car. Throughout his career, the Frenchman has particularly been recognized for his success in nurturing talented drivers, winning the GP2 series in 2005 (Nico Rosberg) and 2006 (Lewis Hamilton).

Before taking the position of CEO and team principal of Sauber Motorsport (now Alfa Romeo F1 Team) in 2017, Fred Vasseur was the team principal of Renault F1 Team in 2016. We can therefore say that he is experienced in the field, with the Scuderia preferring a safe bet to take the reins after Mattia Binotto’s departure.

Fred Vasseur is also a long-time friend of Charles Leclerc, which could potentially influence the dynamics within the team. He has indeed been one of the key factors in the progression of the Monegasque driver, whom he has known since the lower categories, and with whom he worked in 2018 during his first season in F1, within the Alfa Romeo Sauber team. In fact, just two days ago, Charles Leclerc highlighted his good experience with the Frenchman regarding the rumor of his arrival within his team. “I have been working with Fred since my junior years where he believed in me, and we have always had a good relationship,” he stated.

On his part, the main person involved affirmed to be truly thrilled and honored to take the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as the team manager. As someone who has always had a passion for motor sports, Ferrari has always represented the pinnacle of the racing world for me. I am looking forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honor the history and legacy of Scuderia and provide results to our Tifosi around the world.

Commenting on this decision, Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, declared, “We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as team principal. Throughout his career, he has successfully combined his technical engineering skills with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams. This approach and his leadership are what we need to move Ferrari forward with renewed energy.”

Scuderia Ferrari announces that Fred Vasseur will join Scuderia Ferrari on 9 January as Team Principal and General Manager.https://t.co/k6AheXT1Do pic.twitter.com/L882T0gHsl

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) December 13, 2022