Fred Vasseur on the attack
After facing many rumors about his future at Ferrari, team principal Frederic Vasseur of the Prancing Horse went on the offensive during Friday in Montreal. At the press conference between FP1 and FP2, followed by TV interviews, the head of the Maranello pit wall doubled down, while not denying that his contract is indeed expiring and renewal discussions have not yet started. Fred Vasseur once again pointed the finger at Italian journalists and stood firmly behind his people.
The interview with Sky Italia
“Honestly, I don’t want to waste too much time talking about this. I also don’t want to try to investigate or understand where these rumors come from. But I think it’s someone trying to harm the team because this is not just about me. I knew very well and was aware that I would be exposed when I took this position. But to talk like this about Charles… To say he will leave to go to Mercedes, when from the start of the season in every single interview he has said he has a long-term contract, that he loves the team and wants to win here. Yet these rumors keep coming back. For me, the most critical part is when names of team members come out because many people’s names are exposed, and that is not right because they are doing a good job. It is not up to Italian journalists to decide if we should replace this or that person. And we must consider that these are people, not things, human beings with families, children, and wives. You can imagine that when they read in the media that Ferrari will hire ‘X’ to replace someone, it causes enormous harm to the team in terms of concentration and atmosphere, and honestly, I can’t understand it. We need to be supported somehow, we shouldn’t be thrown into the mud like this. It’s not right.
My contract? I’m super calm, but honestly, the problem is not me. I am experienced enough and old enough to make my own decisions. When I joined Ferrari, I knew perfectly well the situation would be like this. This is life, I knew my position would be the most exposed. It applies to me and to other teams. Last week it was Christian Horner who supposedly would be fired before or after Imola, I don’t remember, yet he is still here, as far as I know. That is not a problem. What is a much bigger problem is when it comes to team members—that’s when I start to get angry.
If my contract expires at the end of the season? Yes, but we have time to negotiate, to discuss it. We will have time to talk about it and make a decision. We will do it at the right time, and it will not be a problem at all.”
The interview with Canal Plus
“When names like these are thrown out there, or hiring rumors are invented that never existed, or they say Charles will go to Mercedes next year, I think the only reason is that journalists hope to get clicks and get noticed by doing this. Or they do it to disrupt the team, or both. But in any case, if they want to support us or be close to the team, they have failed, because I think the right questions need to be asked. If Ferrari hasn’t won for some years, we have changed the team principal, changed the drivers, changed almost everything except one thing (he means the journalists, ed.). My position is fragile by definition. It’s like a football coach. We know that when you do this job at Ferrari or elsewhere, you are exposed. I believe there are three team principals who change every season. I didn’t come here thinking I would stay for life. I’m just trying to develop the team, to progress, to do things with something.” – the French manager concluded.
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