Gino Rosato, a long-serving and well-known former figure within the Ferrari Formula 1 organisation, has shared his views on the current state of the Maranello-based team and expressed strong support for Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur. In a wide-ranging interview, Rosato discussed the importance of giving Vasseur time to build a stable foundation and reflected on past mistakes made by the team, particularly the departure of former Team Principal Stefano Domenicali.
Gino Rosato was considered one of the more enigmatic and influential characters in the Formula 1 paddock for many years. He spent a significant portion of his career working behind the scenes at Scuderia Ferrari, and in a recent appearance on the Pitstop podcast, he opened up about a number of issues affecting the team. Among the topics covered were the need for leadership continuity and the impact of frequent management changes on the Italian team’s performance.
“The last great captain of Ferrari”
During the podcast conversation, Rosato looked back on what he believes was a major strategic error: parting ways with Stefano Domenicali. He stated clearly: “The big mistake Ferrari made was letting go of Stefano Domenicali. I think he was the last great ‘captain’ Ferrari had, like Horner is for Red Bull. Christian has been there for twenty years and managed to bring the team back to the top despite all the problems they had after Vettel left. Throughout that time, he’s always been the point of reference for the whole team.”
He went on to contrast Red Bull’s long-term leadership with Ferrari’s instability. “In Ferrari, it’s not like that. When I joined Ferrari in 2014, Domenicali was there, then we had Mattiacci, Arrivabene, Binotto and now Vasseur. That’s five different Team Principals in eleven years. Domenicali knew how to manage everything while always maintaining the right balance. I would’ve kept him there for another hundred years. No one else achieved the kind of results he did.”
Gino Rosato’s comments underline how much he valued Domenicali’s leadership style and long-term vision, something he believes has been lacking at Ferrari since Domenicali’s departure.
Rosato: “Vasseur must stay. Stability is essential”
Speaking about current Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, Gino Rosato expressed full confidence in the Frenchman’s leadership and urged Ferrari to resist the temptation of further changes. “Fred Vasseur knows the racing world very well, and lately it seems like Ferrari is getting back on the right track. But that was also happening under Mattia Binotto. Mistakes were made, but the direction was the right one. Every time you change, everything becomes a mess. What we need is stability. Leave Vasseur there for five or six years.”
Gino Rosato also pointed out a key detail related to Lewis Hamilton, who joined Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season: “Fred also knows Hamilton, and that’s important for Lewis.”
This relationship could be a critical asset in building a stronger and more cohesive team environment at Ferrari, particularly as Hamilton continues to adapt to the Maranello squad.
A proposal for Ferrari’s leadership structure
Gino Rosato concluded the interview with a personal suggestion about how Ferrari should be structured moving forward. “If it were up to me, I’d make Vasseur responsible for Gestione Sportiva (Ferrari’s sporting management division), I’d assign someone else to head the Formula 1 division, and both of them should report directly to John Elkann.”
With these comments, Gino Rosato has offered not only a strong endorsement of Frédéric Vasseur but also a broader reflection on the structural and cultural changes Ferrari needs to make in order to return to the top of Formula 1. His remarks highlight how crucial stability and long-term planning are in a sport where success is often built over many years—not just a single season.
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