Ferrari has moved to publicly reinforce its support for Frederic Vasseur ahead of the Malaysian race, attempting to put an end to renewed speculation surrounding the team principal’s future. However, the intervention has not entirely convinced the Italian media, with several leading journalists continuing to question just how secure Frederic Vasseur’s Ferrari future really is.
Ferrari confirms its backing of Frederic Vasseur
In an attempt to create a calmer atmosphere around the team ahead of the Malaysian race, Ferrari called a press conference yesterday to clear the clouds surrounding Frederic Vasseur’s future.
Maria Conti and Davide Marchi, responsible respectively for communications for the Ferrari brand and the Formula 1 team, attended the meeting. The move comes at a time when Ferrari’s communication around its Formula 1 operation has itself become part of the wider discussion surrounding the team.
When asked why Ferrari chairman John Elkann or CEO Benedetto Vigna had not attended the meeting, the response was: “We did not expect to hold a call or anything else, because normally we are used to a lot of communication around Ferrari, in general and not only regarding the Scuderia. For every piece of news, do we have to put the chairman and the CEO in front of the cameras?”
Italian press remains sceptical over Frederic Vasseur’s future
The intervention, however, did not completely convince some Italian publications. Rather than simply reporting what had been said during the call, several newspapers went further by offering their own interpretation of what had happened, an unusual development where Ferrari is concerned.
Writing in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Luigi Perna openly referred to “shaky confidence in Vasseur”, explaining: “The fact that Ferrari went to the trouble yesterday of officially denying the rumours does not mean that this confidence really exists completely within Ferrari.”
Luigi Perna concluded: “Vasseur’s future at Maranello is not secure.”
Leo Turrini adopted a similar position in Quotidiano Sportivo: “For the sake of clarity, it would have been better if Maranello’s number one had spoken personally. Even a one-minute video could have been enough. But Elkann is not Montezemolo, and we all know that too. I could cite a list of managers who were publicly confirmed in their positions and then removed when results became too negative. So, best of luck to Fred Vasseur.”
Daniele Sparisci of Corriere della Sera also urged caution over how definitive Ferrari’s backing should be considered: “Carry on with the Frenchman, for now, because Ferrari’s own recent history shows how changes can be rapid and unpredictable, regardless of any words spoken in defence of those in charge.”
The reaction underlines why the debate has continued despite Ferrari’s intervention. Recent precedents involving previous team principals have also resurfaced as part of the discussion over Ferrari’s latest backing of Frederic Vasseur, leaving his position under close scrutiny as Maranello looks ahead to its next major challenges.
Leave a Reply