John Elkann close to Ferrari during F1 testing: Fred Vasseur emphasizes importance of visit. John Elkann’s surprise visit to Ferrari in Bahrain is a rare exception during testing.

Day 2 in Sakhir began with an unusual morning: the session was interrupted multiple times due to unexpected rain at the Manama circuit. However, the raindrops on the Bahrain track were not the only exceptional event of the second day of testing—the real surprise was the arrival of John Elkann, Ferrari’s president, visiting Fred Vasseur’s team. During the press conference, the French team principal emphasized to the gathered media,  the importance of this visit.

It had been years since a Ferrari president was seen in the Scuderia’s garage during winter testing. The last time was in 2019, when testing took place in Barcelona, and John Elkann, newly appointed as Ferrari’s president, arrived in the paddock to support the team led by then-team principal Mattia Binotto.

Then came five years without visits—until today, February 27, 2025. During Day 2 of pre-season testing in Sakhir, cameras captured the 48-year-old Italian visiting the team at work. The Ferrari chairman first engaged with team principal Fred Vasseur, followed by a conversation with Lewis Hamilton during the heaviest rain, exchanging several words with the Maranello team’s president.

John Elkann’s Unusual Visit to Ferrari During Testing: Fred Vasseur Highlights Its Meaning
During the press conference, Fred Vasseur responded to a question from Sky journalist Mara Sangiorgio regarding the significance of John Elkann’s visit. What does this unusual presence of the president mean? Fred Vasseur clarified: “It is very important for the team to feel the support of the group and President Mr. Elkann.”

“This gives us positive energy,” explained the Draveil-born team principal. “I’m really happy that he was able to join us today,” Fred Vasseur concluded.

The Ferrari president spoke with Fred Vasseur and the drivers before watching part of the morning test session and then temporarily leaving the paddock. This rare and close involvement from Elkann underscores the importance and anticipation surrounding the upcoming season. The 2025 campaign is set to begin under the best possible conditions for the Maranello team, one of the favorites at the start of the championship. Ferrari, buoyed by its strong finish in 2024 and the arrival of Lewis Hamilton, is determined to challenge Verstappen and McLaren for the world titles.

Source: f1ingenerale