Ferrari, after a long time, has finally shown the potential to win the title if it continues down this path. The disappointment of losing to McLaren by just 14 points was quickly overshadowed by a sense of hope and excitement for the future.
Team Principal Fred Vasseur was in great spirits as he welcomed a group of international media to an event space overlooking Ferrari’s stunning Fiorano test track during the team’s traditional Christmas lunch.
Considered the most challenging job in the sport, the pressure on the shoulders of the person leading Formula 1’s most famous team is enormous, but Fred Vasseur has taken on the role with remarkable ease.
It is, of course, still early days. This is only the second year of what he and Ferrari hope will be a long-term collaboration, but the signs from this season are positive.
Fred Vasseur is an incredibly likable figure, with an impressive ability to defuse tense situations with his dry sense of humor. So far, this strategy has worked very well in Maranello, as has his all-encompassing approach to the job and a management style that allows his employees to take risks without fear of punishment.
The goal has not been achieved—far from it. Of course, bringing the championship back to Italy is the aim, but what the Scuderia truly desires is the start of a new winning cycle, like the one experienced between 2000-2004 with Michael Schumacher or the dominance enjoyed by Red Bull and Mercedes over the past two decades. Nevertheless, he is satisfied with the progress made so far. “It was a good season for us, certainly with ups and downs like everyone else, but with more ups than downs,” he says, as we sit down for a one-on-one chat in a beautiful building a stone’s throw from the home of founder Enzo Ferrari. “It was a very good season compared to 2023.”
“We are heading in the right direction. We have improved in every single pillar of performance: reliability, strategy, pit stops, pure performance. Regarding the KPIs, we achieved five wins compared to one, and in terms of points, we scored 60% more in 2024 than in 2023.”
“Everything is going in the right direction. We missed the final step, but when we went to Abu Dhabi, the percentage chance of winning was very low. After Saturday, it was even lower. It’s true that after the second or third lap, I thought, ‘Ah, the planets are almost aligned now, let’s push.’ But it wasn’t in Abu Dhabi where we fell short. Abu Dhabi was a good event; it was more in Canada where we had a double zero or during the summer where something was lacking.”
Ferrari responded well to the mid-season slump and finished the season on an incredibly positive note, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc both making the podium in Abu Dhabi. Overall, it was a significant step forward.
This year, Ferrari was only 14 points behind the leaders, compared to 454 last year, and besides this clear increase in points, the percentage of podium finishes rose by 175%, and the average points per race increased by 44.91% in 2024. These statistics were not enough to win the title, but they are the kind of numbers that, if consistently repeated, will put them in a position to make the final leap. The fact that Ferrari convincingly beat reigning world champions Red Bull and Mercedes is a statement of intent, even though they narrowly lost to McLaren.
What made the difference this year? “There’s no big difference,” says Fred Vasseur. “We’re trying to improve in every single area of performance, in every single department of the company. It’s one small step after another.
“It’s not about having something that can change the game, there’s no magic bullet. You have to keep this mindset and push every member of the group to try to do a better job, trying to save a gram on every part, and I think in the last month we’ve made good progress. Certainly, it’s not enough, but we’re heading in the right direction.”
He adds, “It’s a never-ending project, a never-ending process of hiring, developing, and trying to do a better job.”
His drivers were also exceptional in 2024—with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finishing the season with career-high points totals—and were instrumental in Ferrari’s improvement.
“I think Charles has made a step forward in management, not just of the tires but also of the race,” says Vasseur. “The management of his approach was a bit more… I wouldn’t say focused, but less distracted at times. Overall, it was a good season from Charles. Not always easy. Even when we had tough moments, like in Austria, Spain, and the UK, he was able to come back, to have a positive attitude. I think that reaction was important for him and for the team.”
“For Carlos, it’s true that last year was probably the first step in Ferrari’s reaction. He came back after the summer break with very high-level performances—the podium at Monza, the pole at Monza, the win in Singapore—and this pushed Charles to react and ultimately achieve six or seven front rows in a row.”
“I think we’ve made good progress, and this is part of the team’s recovery. They’ve always pushed each other—in a positive way—and have done very well. I’m very satisfied with their relationship.”
Looking ahead to 2025, Fred Vasseur expects a four-way fight for the championship among his team, McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes, especially if the technical regulations remain stable.
“Everyone takes risks,” says Fred Vasseur. “If you don’t take risks, you’re dead. We know the development of this car; it’s never easy because we’re on the rise, and it’s always harder.
“Everyone is taking risks, and we also have to take risks because 2025 will be a strange season. We’ll have to switch quite early to the 2026 project, which means the car we put on track in Bahrain will be crucial.”
Fred Vasseur has done an outstanding job transforming Ferrari’s culture, eliminating the fear factor and encouraging all team members to take risks. He has no intention of changing this strategy as he heads into his third season at the helm.
“I want to keep the same approach as last year in terms of recruitment, development, and continuous improvement. This mentality is part of the DNA of every F1 team. If at some point you say you’re in shape, I think that’s the beginning of the end. You need to push beyond the limits of every single area every day and come to the factory every morning saying, ‘I need to do a better job than yesterday.’ If you have this approach, I think you’re on the right track.”
However, one thing that will change is the identity of one of the drivers: seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will join the famed Italian team next season on a multi-year contract. Fred Vasseur is understandably excited about one of the greatest drivers ever joining his team and sees his arrival as further strengthening an already growing team.
“It will be a step forward in building or developing the team. He brings his experience, his background, and this will be helpful for the team’s development. It will be useful for Charles and for the engineers, and we need to take it as another step in the right direction. It’s positive for us.”
Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari is something unexpected. Together with Charles Leclerc, he will form an extraordinary pairing that could mark a turning point for the team. There are many goals and dreams to achieve, with 2025 promising to be an exciting year.
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