Italian journalists’ union hit back at Fred Vasseur’s scathing criticism

A union representing Italian journalists has responded to Ferrari F1 team principal Fred Vasseur’s scathing criticism of speculation about his future.

Vasseur’s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks, with Italian media reporting Ferrari were considering whether to replace the Frenchman following their hugely disappointing start to the 2025 F1 campaign.

Expectations were high that Ferrari could fight for the world championship after pulling off the blockbuster signing of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to partner Charles Leclerc, but their SF-25 car has been uncompetitive and the team have been lagging behind their rivals so far.

Vasseur hit out at the reporting by some Italian media outlets in a passionate rant at the Canadian Grand Prix, insisting the rumours were “disrespectful” and “hurting” the team.

The Italian Automotive Journalists’ Union [UIGA] has now issued a statement responding to Vasseur’s public attack on the country’s media.

UIGA argues it is not a journalists’ job to “support a team, but to report honestly what happens”.

The UIGA statement in full

“In recent days, some statements coming from the motorsport world have shed important light on a situation that concerns us closely: the role and the responsibility of the sport information, in particular when it moves near delicate areas as those of the internal dynamics of a team or a society,” the statement read.

“A famous team principal of an Italian team has expressed concern about the diffusion, from a part of the press, of unconfirmed news regarding possible changes at the top of the technical area, considered harmful for the team’s internal weather.

“In detail, he underlined how some rumours, regarding leading figures coming from the competitors’ teams, can create insecurity among the workers and fuel tensions that make it even more difficult to achieve ambitious sporting goals.

“The same team principal wanted to distinguish between the journalism done with rigor and professionalism, and what, he says, gives in to the temptation of sensationalism and of the so-called ‘clickbait’, contributing more to confusion than to clarity.

“UIGA retains the necessity to reaffirm a simple and fundamental principle: sport journalism, like every form of professional information, must always be inspired by fairness, verification of facts, and awareness of the context in which it operates.

“No pressure, direct or indirect, can or should restrict freedom of the press. But this freedom is all the more valuable when it’s accompanied by a full assumption of responsibility.

“It’s not the journalists’ job to ‘support’ a team, but to report honestly what happens. However, this can never justify the dissemination of unverified news that risk compromising already complex balances, with concrete human and professional repercussions.

“In this sense, the controversy raised in recent days, beyond the tones, represents a useful opportunity to reflect, as a category, on the balance between the right of reporting and respect for people in a media season where speed and spectacularization are likely to have the better quality, we must defend the value of sober, accurate and independent information.”