Fred Vasseur believes "the FIA must be respected like a referee in football"

Fred Vasseur believes “the FIA must be respected like a referee in football”. Fred Vasseur avoided engaging in discussions about the Federation's actions.

Frederic Vasseur (Ferrari Team Principal), Gwen Lagrue (Driver Development Advisor Mercedes), Laurent Mekies (RB F1 Team Team Principal)

A gray year
In the fiercely contested 2024 Formula 1 season, much discussion has revolved around the gray areas of the regulations, prompting the International Federation to intervene behind the scenes with technical guidelines and directives aimed at specifying and clarifying certain regulatory aspects.

The main topic of debate was the flexibility of front and rear wings, with several teams approaching the FIA to request a stance on the matter.

Navigating gray areas has always been a balancing act in Formula 1, with the Federation historically taking corrective action after issues are flagged. In 2024, the most contentious case was the aerodynamic flexibility of McLaren’s rear wing, which was banned by the Federation without any retroactive disqualification.

Fred Vasseur’s opinion
“F1 is also about this—pushing the limits and beyond. It’s not up to me to comment or complain. That’s the FIA’s role, and it must be respected like a referee in football,” explained Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, in an interview with the Italian daily newspaper *La Stampa*, when asked specifically about the lack of penalties against McLaren for using an irregular rear wing.