Fred Vasseur issues "huge mistake" warning amid rampant Ferrari speculation

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has called for “serenity” and unity at the Italian outfit amid rampant speculation surrounding his position. 

Vasseur has found himself in the spotlight with rumours swirling about his future, fuelled by former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner publicly acknowledging for the first time that he would be interested in joining Ferrari. 

Ahead of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, Ferrari took the unusual step to use a hastily arranged media call to publicly back Vasseur as its team principal amid the noise. 

Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have also thrown their support behind Vasseur, insisting he is the right person to lead the team. 

“When you see the noise and all the rumours in the press all the week, I think as a team we need to work in serenity and it was absolutely not the case,” Vasseur said during an FIA press conference on Friday at Sepang. 

“I think the statement, it was mandatory to do something, or it would have been the same this weekend. Honestly, the big issue that we have today is the stability, the serenity into the team, the focus that we need to have, and not to have this kind of question all the day.”

Hamilton launched a passionate defence of Vasseur on Thursday and urged critics to “point fingers somewhere else”, appearing to suggest that Ferrari’s heirachy must also take responsibility for its current struggles. 

Vasseur warned it would be a “huge mistake” for Ferrari to start playing the blame game. 

“On the comment of Lewis, I think it would be a mistake to finger-point someone or something, or whatever,” the Frenchman said. 

“In the good moments, we are winning as a team; in the bad moments, we are suffering as a team. I don't want to speak about single individual or whatever. Honestly, I think it would be a huge mistake to start to not be unified. 

“We had a good beginning of the season, that for sure it's not enough, that we want to get more, we want to win more, we want to win the championship. But at the end of the day, we had a positive start. We are struggling the last couple of races, but we are hoping to come back soon with development and to be back into the pace.” 

Vasseur stressed he accepted that criticism and media scrutiny was always going to come with the top job at Ferrari following a near-two-decade F1 title drought. 

“When you take the role, you know the positive and the negative side of the job. I was expecting something like this. What is sometimes a bit unfair is when you put someone under the bus,” he said. 

“I'm there also to defend my team, my guys. As I said before, when we are winning, we are winning as a team, but when we are struggling, I'm there to defend them, all of them. 

“I think it's the right attitude from everybody: from them to defend the team principal, from me to defend them when we are struggling. Now, honestly, I knew what I will get, and I'm not surprised at all. But sometimes the attacks are a bit personal, it's not good.” 

Unexpected support from F1 rival 

Vasseur also received an unexpected defence from Williams boss James Vowles, who interrupted a question to show his support.  

“Normally we beat each other up and put knives in our backs, but Ferrari is in the best place it's been in the championship for a while," Vowles said. 

“They have innovation on the car this year with a rear wing and exhaust blowing that we've all copied as a result of it. It's a team that's doing brilliantly. 

“So for me personally, there is no question that Fred is the right person to do this.” 

This prompted Alpine executive Flavio Briatore, who joined the pair in the news conference, to joke that Vowles is "a good lawyer".