Ferrari has moved to shut down speculation surrounding Frédéric Vasseur’s future, reiterating that the team’s top management has full confidence in the French team principal and the people he has chosen to build around him. Yet the statement has inevitably revived memories of previous votes of confidence involving Maurizio Arrivabene and Mattia Binotto.
In a message sent to the media this morning, Ferrari sought to silence the growing discussion over Frédéric Vasseur’s position. Maria Conti, Maranello’s head of communications, made clear that the company’s senior management strongly believes in the work being carried out by the team principal and in the personnel he has selected.
The intervention comes as Christian Horner’s name has again been linked with Ferrari, adding further pressure around a position that has rarely been allowed to exist without intense scrutiny.
Ferrari gives Frédéric Vasseur another vote of confidence
The response on social media has been predictable. Many supporters, including ScuderiaFans readers, have immediately recalled previous occasions when Ferrari chairman John Elkann intervened to calm persistent rumours surrounding the team principals of the time, only for the situation to change shortly afterwards.
Maurizio Arrivabene and Mattia Binotto are the two obvious precedents. There is, however, an important counterpoint: the words of support directed towards Frédéric Vasseur last year, both before and after his contract renewal, were followed by concrete action. Whether the same confidence will endure this time can only be answered with time.
The wider debate also comes while Ferrari continues the organisational restructuring carried out under Frédéric Vasseur, making the question of leadership stability particularly significant.
John Elkann backed Maurizio Arrivabene before his departure
On 8 September 2018, newly appointed Ferrari chairman John Elkann publicly intervened to remove doubts surrounding Maurizio Arrivabene. The Brescia-born manager had been in charge of the Scuderia since 2015 after being selected by previous chairman Sergio Marchionne.
John Elkann emphasised his “support” for Maurizio Arrivabene, the Ferrari drivers and everyone working for the team. The remarks came during the shareholders’ meeting that formally approved Louis Camilleri’s appointment as chief executive.
Just 121 days later, on 7 January 2019, Ferrari officially announced Maurizio Arrivabene’s departure.
“The decision was taken jointly with the company’s top management after lengthy discussions related to Maurizio’s personal interests as well as those of the team itself,” the official statement explained.
Mattia Binotto replaced Maurizio Arrivabene, beginning another leadership cycle at Maranello. Ferrari subsequently made further personnel changes following the transition, including changes within the communications department after Maurizio Arrivabene’s exit from the team.
Mattia Binotto received similar backing in 2022
Mattia Binotto would eventually experience a remarkably similar sequence.
On 10 September 2022, John Elkann publicly backed the Ferrari team principal in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Having placed our trust in Binotto has paid off,” John Elkann said.
However, by 15 November 2022, increasingly persistent reports were circulating in the media over Mattia Binotto’s future, during what was also his fourth year as Ferrari team principal. Ferrari responded in unusually explicit fashion through Twitter.
“With reference to speculation appearing in certain media regarding the position of Scuderia Team Principal Mattia Binotto, Ferrari states that these rumours are totally without foundation.”
Only 14 days later, on 29 November 2022, another official statement arrived from Maranello: “The company announces that it has accepted the resignation of Mattia Binotto, who will leave his role as Team Principal of Scuderia Ferrari on 31 December.”
The Frédéric Vasseur era began in 2023.
Ferrari’s first major vote of confidence in Frédéric Vasseur
Frédéric Vasseur himself experienced a difficult period around the summer of 2025. At Silverstone on 6 July, Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna was asked about the French manager’s future as uncertainty surrounded negotiations over a new contract: “It’s July, we have time. We are discussing. We are with Fred, we’ve just had lunch together,” Benedetto Vigna said.
Only 25 days later, the uncertainty was resolved when Ferrari officially announced a multi-year contract extension for Frédéric Vasseur.
A few months afterwards, on 18 October 2025, John Elkann intervened again during an event in Washington as rumours involving Christian Horner intensified: “I want to reaffirm our full confidence in our Team Principal, Fred Vasseur, and in the work he is carrying out together with all his colleagues at Scuderia Ferrari,” John Elkann said.
Questions surrounding Ferrari’s senior leadership have continued to attract attention whenever results have increased the pressure on Maranello, with John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna themselves previously becoming part of the wider debate over Ferrari’s direction.
This time, Ferrari’s position is again explicit: the leadership has confidence in Frédéric Vasseur and in the structure he is building. The recent contract history shows that last year’s assurances were followed by a genuine commitment to the French manager. The Arrivabene and Binotto precedents, however, explain why some supporters will still wait to see whether this latest vote of confidence proves equally lasting.
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