Ferrari plots shift toward McLaren-inspired leadership model – but Fred Vasseur not on board. Fred Vasseur admits Ferrari need to ‘study’ British Grand Prix struggles.

Pressure Mounts on Fred Vasseur as Ferrari Leadership Explores Structural Changes Amid Winless Streak for Hamilton and Leclerc

At the halfway point of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Scuderia Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur finds himself facing mounting scrutiny, as the team’s performance continues to fall short of expectations. Despite a promising start to the campaign, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc remain without a Grand Prix victory in 2025, a situation that has only intensified pressure on the Ferrari leadership.

Lewis Hamilton did manage to deliver Ferrari’s only triumph of the season so far, securing a win in the F1 Sprint Race during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend. However, that momentum was quickly lost when the team suffered a double disqualification the following day in the main event—an incident that appeared to derail the Scuderia’s competitive rhythm. Since that moment, Ferrari has shown flashes of competitiveness, but consistency has been sorely lacking.

As a result, Frédéric Vasseur has been placed under a microscope, with many observers pointing to what appears to be a step backward in performance compared to the team’s progress in 2023 and 2024. Questions surrounding the Frenchman’s authority and long-term vision have only grown louder, particularly as Ferrari chairman John Elkann is believed to be considering structural changes that could significantly alter Vasseur’s role within the team.

According to a report from Corriere dello Sport, Elkann is contemplating the implementation of a new leadership model inspired by other successful Formula 1 teams, potentially introducing a ‘super boss’ figure above Vasseur in the hierarchy. This move would mirror the structure seen at McLaren, where CEO Zak Brown works closely with team principal Andrea Stella, as well as at Sauber, where a collaborative dynamic exists between Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley.

Vasseur, who was appointed to lead Ferrari ahead of the 2023 season on a three-year contract, has yet to sign an extension. His deal is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna recently addressed the uncertainty during an interview with Sky Italia at Silverstone. Vigna remarked that discussions about the team principal’s future are ongoing, but emphasized that it was still early in the process and that time was needed to reach a decision.

The CdS report further noted that Fred Vasseur has effectively been under closer internal observation over the last three races, accompanied by high-ranking Ferrari personnel including Benedetto Vigna. Elkann reportedly sees this as a potential long-term arrangement, one that would institutionalize direct oversight by adding a superior figure to guide and monitor Fred Vasseur’s work. This approach would reduce the autonomy that Fred Vasseur has enjoyed thus far, particularly since it is believed that the Frenchman had initially requested full independence from both John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna when he accepted the role.

Although this proposed change may seem logical from an organizational standpoint—especially as similar models have yielded positive results for rival teams—sources suggest that Fred Vasseur is unlikely to accept such a shift in structure. His leadership style relies heavily on decision-making freedom, and the introduction of a higher-ranking figure could be interpreted as a lack of trust from Ferrari’s top brass.

Despite the growing tension behind the scenes, both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are understood to remain supportive of Vasseur’s leadership. Within the team, there is still a strong belief in the continuity and planning he brings—especially as Formula 1 approaches the critical regulation overhaul set for the 2026 season. Replacing a team principal at this stage could destabilize the groundwork being laid for the future, and Ferrari risks undermining its own long-term ambitions.

Meanwhile, Fred Vasseur has acknowledged that Ferrari needs to analyze its struggles at the 2025 British Grand Prix. At Silverstone, Ferrari was outpaced not only by McLaren but also by Sauber, with Lewis Hamilton narrowly missing out on a podium finish on Sunday. Charles Leclerc, who was involved in a minor incident with Carlos Sainz and miscalculated his race strategy, finished outside the points. Despite the disappointing outcome, the Monegasque driver identified Hamilton’s performance as the most encouraging takeaway for Ferrari, particularly given the difficult conditions and his own issues at the rear of the field.

In his post-race comments, Fred Vasseur characterized the event as chaotic from start to finish. He explained that the rapidly changing weather conditions made tyre choices particularly challenging, and the multiple Safety Car interventions added further unpredictability. According to the Ferrari boss, the team would need to examine all the available data from the weekend in order to identify exactly where their performance dropped off. He emphasized that it was always easy in hindsight to see where strategic decisions could have been improved, but the focus now had to be on learning from the experience.

Fred Vasseur underlined the importance of regrouping and delivering a complete weekend at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. The French manager insisted that Ferrari’s next steps must involve a clear improvement in performance, with flawless execution from Friday through Sunday to ensure a return to competitiveness.