Why Ferrari oversight threatens to derail Vasseur revolution
Why Ferrari oversight threatens to derail Vasseur revolution
Fred Vasseur will lead Ferrari into the new season but is the former Sauber team principal and CEO really the right man for the job?
We asked this question to GPFans readers in a recent poll and opinion was split, with 51 percent backing the Frenchman to succeed and 49 percent believing the opposite.
But in our discussions in a recent edition of the GPFans Stewards' Room podcast, the editorial team conceded the answer to this question depends more on the freedom Vasseur is permitted in his role.
You can listen to the thoughts of Ian Parkes, Sam Hall and Ewan Gale in the podcast at the bottom of this page, or scroll to read the team's assessment on the topic.
Editor-in-chief - Ian Parkes
The question is, how much of a free rein is Fred going to be allowed? Because for all intents and purposes, what I'm hearing coming out of Italy is that the guys at the top, [Ferrari chairman] John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna, they will be having more of a day-to-day say in matters compared to previous regimes when they pretty much allowed the team principal and his deputies to run Ferrari F1.
Is that going to be the case? Is Fred going to be allowed his own ideas and thoughts? How much is he going to be guided by Elkann and Vigna?
Fred, has qualities, without a shadow of a doubt. He's a great character, a great personality, but has he got enough about him to lead a team as big as the Scuderia? I'm not too sure at this stage.
F1 writer - Ewan Gale
If Ian is right about Elkann and Vigna taking on more of a role then that makes Vasseur's appointment utterly confusing to me.
Because why would you not promote from within and use a puppet essentially, rather than bring in this accomplished former team principal/CEO who has been nigh-on impeccable in whatever he has done so far.
ART Grand Prix, one of the best junior teams out there, has nurtured multiple F1 world champions and other drivers who have gone on to be champions in other categories.
He set up Spark Technologies which built all of the Formula E cars for the first couple of years.
Then he came to Sauber when they were in a mire and now look at where they are. They're a completely restructured team, looking up and now have Audi coming on board. That's all down to him as well.
If you're bringing in a man like Fred Vasseur, you've got to give him full rein to do what he wants to do, regardless of whether he's right or not.
Deputy editor - Sam Hall
My worry is that Ferrari hasn't learned its lessons. You've got to look at the teams that are successful at the moment - the Mercedes model and the Red Bull model.
Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, for different reasons, have complete accountability so if something happens, it's on them. They are the ones in charge, making the calls and there is no one above them issuing orders.
At Ferrari, it's very much you've got the F1 team but that's just one branch of the overall company and Ferrari doesn't seem to be able to separate the two and give Vasseur complete freedom.
If he makes a judgment call and it's wrong, he'll be the first one to tell you that 'I messed that one up'. There's no question about that.
But if he's having to juggle running the F1 team and playing the Ferrari political game, I'm not entirely sure he is capable of doing that. I'm not sure anyone is capable of doing that.
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Hamilton in Ferrari F1 SHOCK as star targeted for stunning Audi move - GPFans F1 Recap
- Yesterday 23:57
F1 wonderkid in Mercedes TEST amid driver replacement reports
- Yesterday 22:57
Former Perez F1 boss reveals who should replace him
- Yesterday 21:57
Sainz hints at sensational move to rival series
- Yesterday 20:57
McLaren star DROPPED following serious injury
- Yesterday 19:57
F1 legend confident about Newey to Ferrari
- Yesterday 18:58
Related news
Ferrari show off new-look drivers following HUGE announcement
Sky Sports F1 pundit dumbfounded by key Ferrari decision
F1 giants announce name change with IMMEDIATE effect
Ferrari announce HUGE F1 change to iconic red livery
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860