Fred Vasseur admits “it’s hard to work at Ferrari” amid recent firing rumours

Fred Vasseur has admitted it is “hard to work at Ferrari” as he addressed recent speculation surrounding Formula 1’s most famous team. 

Lewis Hamilton recently rubbished reports in Italian media claiming he had called for replacements at Ferrari after conceding his bid to win a record eighth world championship this year was over following his retirement at the Spanish Grand Prix. 

Rumours have been swirling of intra-team friction at Ferrari, which has coincided with Christian Horner admitting that a “dream” role at the Maranello outfit is the only F1 job that would tempt him to return to the pit wall without an ownership stake. 

The former Red Bull team principal has been increasingly linked with a shock F1 return at Ferrari in recent months, and now he has seemingly publicly offered his services to Ferrari’s top brass, should they decide they want him. 

Vasseur, who was handed a new multi-year contract extension in July 2025, has been under pressure of late and faced questions over his leadership and handling of recent tension between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

"It's hard to work at Ferrari, but also for all the team members,” Vasseur told Sky Italia after Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying. “Last week we had to read that someone will be fired. 

"I think F1 is a huge challenge. We are 4 teams fighting in cents. Today Russell made the difference, but we usually fight in cents.  Certainly the lack of serenity does not help the team, but things are like that and we simply have to keep working.” 

Leclerc claimed second on the grid in Baku but was over eight tenths adrift of Mercedes’ George Russell, while Hamilton could only manage sixth. 

"It was a complicated session for everyone, but compared to yesterday the temperature dropped a lot and the first three all made a different strategy. And it doesn't happen very often that there are three different strategies between the first three teams,” Vasseur explained. 

“We and Mercedes made two attempts in a row, McLaren made one plus one. But that's how it went. Surely with the characteristics of this track, the low grip, the wind and the lower temperature we knew everything would be more at the limit, but others have chosen differently from us. 

"If we look at these qualifications, surely Mercedes seems too strong. But surely we will fight and push until the end and the race is always a little different. It's true that since Free Practice 1 Russell seemed unbeatable this weekend, with a super pace. But the race is another story. The same conditions could occur, of course, but we will do our best.”

On Hamilton’s difficult qualifying, Vasseur added: "Lewis had a contact with the wall on the first lap of Q3 and this forced him to chase. In addition, the drivers were all in a different sequence, with Lewis finding himself alone and without a trail. This cost him 1 or 2 tenths and would probably have recovered a position. 

“The race will be long, we will have to have a strong and constant step. We know that in Baku the degradation is very low and I believe that this year it will be even more so. Tomorrow I think it will be difficult to overcome, but we'll see".