Toto Wolff slams alternatives to Fred Vasseur renewal as “stupid,” praises Ferrari’s continuity strategy. Toto Wolff praises Ferrari’s decision to renew Frederic Vasseur’s contract.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff applauds the multi-year contract extension between longtime friend Frederic Vasseur and Ferrari

In a Formula 1 landscape preparing to face a major leap into the unknown with the revolutionascudry technical regulations coming in 2026, Ferrari has wisely avoided complicating its path further by choosing continuity through the renewal of Frederic Vasseur’s contract. The French team principal enjoys the full trust of both the Ferrari ownership and the drivers, who played a significant role in supporting his confirmation. Fred Vasseur will now face the challenging transition to the new rules with the very team he has helped shape and develop over his three years at Maranello.

Moreover, Ferrari had very limited alternatives. Even if they had considered exploring other options, none would have guaranteed certain success. For this reason, Toto Wolff, a longtime friend of Frederic Vasseur, believes the Scuderia has chosen the right path forward.

Toto Wolff’s words

“Any other choice would have truly been foolish,” Toto Wolff said in an exclusive interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I have known him since we were just over 20 years old; I know his business vision and his inner strength. Having someone like him on your team is a real fortune, and it’s important to remember how much time it takes to build a successful Formula 1 project.”

Toto Wolff’s own story, having joined Mercedes in 2013, is an exception from this perspective: the team won immediately after introducing the new power units and maintained dominance until the arrival of the Max Verstappen-Red Bull duo. However, what the Austrian did not experience in 2013, he fully faced in 2022, when the Brackley team fell into a third- or fourth-best position from which it hopes to recover with the new regulations set for 2026.