John Elkann plans to restructure Ferrari F1 team with supervisor above Fred Vasseur. Ferrari faces growing internal tensions as Fred Vasseur’s leadership comes under scrutiny.

Major Developments at Scuderia Ferrari: Vasseur Under Pressure as the Team Considers Appointing a Supervisor

The team principal Fred Vasseur is in a precarious position, yet he holds the keys to Ferrari’s 2026 Formula 1 plans. President John Elkann is reportedly considering a management model inspired by McLaren. Following the missed opportunity at the 2025 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, a decisive move now seems necessary.

Within Scuderia Ferrari, the only consistent element of logic often lies in taking calculated risks. This approach—bold and daring, albeit frequently unsuccessful—is sometimes the only way for the team to attempt to bring home a strong result. A very clear and recent example of this mentality emerged during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. While much has been said about Charles Leclerc’s hasty decision to switch tyres just before the race start, it is important to note that the real issue lies elsewhere. Yes, the tyre strategy was evidently flawed, but the fundamental problem is deeper: the drivers at Ferrari constantly feel compelled to invent strategies—at times bordering on reckless gambles—in order to remain competitive at the front of the grid.

Ultimately, the British Grand Prix ended in disappointment for the Maranello-based team. Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc finished in a distant 14th place, later explaining that his SF-25 car was undriveable: “The car would not stay on track; I was at risk of crashing at every corner.” Meanwhile, British driver Lewis Hamilton missed the podium and remarked that the car was unstable and unbalanced, and that strategic decisions had been less than perfect.

The Core Differences

Currently, Scuderia Ferrari is being thoroughly outperformed by McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship standings, with McLaren amassing 460 points compared to Ferrari’s 222. However, the deeper issue facing Ferrari is not purely technical—it is primarily a matter of team management. There is a common refrain that Fred Vasseur should be given more time to deliver results, especially considering that Jean Todt, one of Ferrari’s most successful team principals, needed six full seasons (from 1993 to 1999) before securing his first major win with the team. However, it is overly simplistic to assume that one Frenchman is equivalent to another.

There are several important distinctions. Firstly, Jean Todt was universally recognised as an exceptional talent, a status he would later reaffirm as President of the FIA. Secondly, Todt took over a team that was in complete disarray, unlike the relatively competitive state Ferrari was in when Vasseur assumed leadership. Thirdly, Todt always accepted full responsibility for the team’s shortcomings, famously saying: “If things don’t go well, the blame is solely mine. I’m paid to take the responsibility, and if Ferrari believes I’m not the right person, they can dismiss me at any time.”

A Dead-End Road

Fred Vasseur’s leadership tells a different story. He has consistently defended his position, asserting that the SF-25 is a competitive car that simply has not yet shown its full potential. For months, he attributed the team’s missed opportunities to bad luck, but now his focus has shifted toward critiquing the drivers’ performances. This shifting of blame is raising concerns, as it does not appear to be taking the team in a productive direction.

It seems that the Ferrari leadership duo—President John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna—has become aware of the stagnation. However, they now face the challenge of figuring out how to resolve the current impasse. Vasseur’s contract expires at the end of 2025, and Ferrari must decide whether to renew it. Although Fred Vasseur does not appear to have a firm grip on team leadership—especially given the many recent high-profile departures—replacing him now would mean starting from scratch at a time when the entire sport is gearing up for the major regulatory and technical overhaul scheduled for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Considering Supervisory Leadership

During the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna stated that the team was “discussing the future, but it’s still July, it’s too early; time is needed to make the right decision.” His words strongly suggest that Ferrari is actively searching for a viable solution to the management dilemma.

In recent Grands Prix, Fred Vasseur has been closely monitored by senior Ferrari figures. At the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, he was accompanied by Piero Ferrari. At the Austrian Grand Prix, Michele Antoniazzi—Ferrari’s Head of Human Resources—was present. And at Silverstone, Vasseur was shadowed by CEO Benedetto Vigna himself. These developments suggest that internal supervision of Vasseur has intensified.

Now, John Elkann is reportedly considering making this form of oversight permanent by appointing a “super leader” who would rank above Vasseur in the organisational hierarchy. This structural model would be similar to what McLaren has implemented with Zak Brown and Andrea Stella, or what Sauber has recently adopted with Mattia Binotto overseeing Tim Malyon and Jason Wheatley.

However, Fred Vasseur is known for his reluctance to accept limitations on his authority. As early as the beginning of the 2023 Formula 1 season, he explicitly asked John Elkann for full autonomy and operational freedom, free from interference by CEO Benedetto Vigna. At that time, he was granted everything he requested.

Now, the situation has shifted significantly. Although Fred Vasseur held full decision-making power up to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, his leadership is now under serious question. The drivers—particularly Lewis Hamilton—continue to express strong support for him, but Ferrari’s upper management is increasingly sceptical.

Still, John Elkann is fully aware that Fred Vasseur, despite his contract currently being limited to the 2025 season, is the only person currently in possession of Ferrari’s complete strategic roadmap for the critical 2026 season. This creates a complex and delicate dilemma for Ferrari—one that requires careful and timely resolution.