Fred Vasseur: “Toto Wolff will still be my friend in 30 years, and I even dine with Mekies and Brown”. Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur highlights his strong friendships in Formula 1.

Frédéric Vasseur highlights his strong friendships in Formula 1

The Ferrari team principal has not hidden the fact that he enjoys excellent relationships with some of his main rivals in Formula 1.

Great respect for Vasseur

Over the years in Formula 1, during which Frédéric Vasseur has worked with Renault, Sauber and now Ferrari, the French manager has built solid connections with many key figures in the paddock, including his direct competitors. It came as no surprise, therefore, that when speculation in the media suggested his role at Ferrari could be at risk for 2026, words of respect for him were expressed by both Toto Wolff and Stefano Domenicali.

Fred as a friend to all

Among these relationships, the bond between Fred Vasseur and Toto Wolff is particularly well known, as the Ferrari team principal confirmed on the podcast Beyond The Grid: “We try to keep two things separate: the friendship and the on-track battles. Right now we are fighting both on the asphalt and in recruiting staff. But we are intelligent people, and I hope we will keep in mind the 25 years of friendship we share. If we fight on Saturday and Sunday, we know that by Monday everything resets. Of course, when I called him to speak about Lewis joining us, it was not the easiest phone call of my life, because I know how much he helped me at certain times. But I try to separate things. Toto will remain my friend for the next 30 years.”

Fred Vasseur also pointed out that his good relations extend to the leadership of McLaren and Red Bull: “In Miami last year there was even a challenge between me and Zak (Brown). With him I have a relationship similar to the one I share with Toto, meaning that we can fight on track, compete for engineers and drivers, but in the end we are all on the same boat when it comes to dealing with F1, the FIA and the regulations. I am not saying I am proud of it, but I am very glad to have a great relationship not only with Toto but also with Laurent (Mekies at Red Bull), and sometimes I even have dinner with him and Zak in Bologna. In the end it is nice to share our experiences and our vision of what we are doing, and that has nothing to do with the competition itself.” – the French manager concluded.