According to Jean Alesi, Frederic Vasseur is managing a Ferrari in Formula 1 where incompetence reigns. This is not the opinion of a casual fan, but the view of one of the Prancing Horse’s icons regarding the team’s current negative phase. On the occasion of his birthday and the thirtieth anniversary of his first and only victory, right in Montreal, where the tenth round of the 2025 Formula 1 championship takes place, the French driver spoke out plainly, expressing his doubts without sugarcoating.
The former Ferrari driver experienced firsthand the years of technical inferiority and the gradual return to competitiveness that began with Jean Todt’s arrival. Many more seasons passed before the Maranello team finally won the world title with Michael Schumacher. Back in Jean Todt’s era, Ferrari lagged significantly behind technologically compared to Williams, McLaren, and the ambitious Benetton team.
At the time, the technological infrastructure was not up to the standard required to compete at the highest level. Although today the historic team has nothing to envy from its rivals, it is clear that access to the best technology is no guarantee of success. After all, Red Bull has built two dominant eras in Formula 1 using a post-war wind tunnel. Fortunately, the quality and creativity of the engineers still make the difference.
In a recent interview, Jean Alesi shared his perspective on the current issues at the Maranello team which, according to him, have nothing to do with the drivers. In particular, Jean Alesi praised Charles Leclerc, whom he considers the strongest driver on the grid and in whom he sees a reflection of his own temperament and “bad luck.” The driver of Sicilian descent then offered an interesting insight.
According to Jean Alesi, Fred Vasseur has far less power than Jean Todt did. He made this point while offering his personal view on Ferrari’s current difficulties. According to the former Ferrari driver, the team’s problems are not the result of the team principal’s decisions but stem from certain individuals within the team who want to be in charge despite lacking the competence to do so.
It’s a perfectly respectable opinion, but one that raises questions. Frederic Vasseur has reorganized the team extensively and has repeatedly stated that he recruited several engineers from rival teams. The complete absence of the Italian company’s top management—even in strategic meetings like the one broadcast during the Bahrain Grand Prix—suggests quite the opposite.
If the Ferrari team principal is attending meetings where the future of F1 is decided in place of the president and CEO, then there are only two possible scenarios: either Fred Vasseur is a compliant lightning rod, or he has been granted broad powers. So far, the head of the Ferrari Racing Division has shown no signs of friction with top management. On the contrary, he remains consistently unflappable, despite the season increasingly taking the shape of a dramatic failure.
What Jean Alesi said in the “family” newspaper of the Exor group is open to various interpretations. These are undoubtedly rather awkward and perhaps even baseless statements—ones that could easily backfire. It could be a subliminal alarm signal aimed at the presidency, voiced by someone who knows the age-old dynamics of the Ferrari Racing Division very well.
Or perhaps it’s a gesture of solidarity with Fred Vasseur, whose position is beginning to look shaky. What remains to be seen is the final judgment at the end of the season for the Frenchman who, for now, despite a hugely disappointing year, still appears to have faith in the 2026 campaign. And maybe, that will be his last real opportunity—where another failure could cost him the job.
— see video above —
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