Ferrari chairman John Elkann has been urged to take a less intrusive role in the day-to-day sporting and technical direction of the Ferrari Formula 1 project, with calls for him to allow team principal Fred Vasseur greater autonomy in order to restore the Scuderia to championship-winning form.
According to recent commentary within the Formula 1 paddock discussion, the French manager has been operating under increasing scrutiny at Maranello following a winless 2025 campaign for the Italian side and the continued absence of a world championship title since his appointment as Ferrari team principal in 2023. Despite internal restructuring efforts and long-term planning, results have yet to match expectations for Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who continue to compete at the front but without consistent title-contending machinery.
Ferrari chairman John Elkann has previously publicly expressed frustration over the team’s lack of results, including comments that placed additional pressure on the Monegasque and his Maranello teammate during the previous season. However, Formula 1 analyst Will Buxton has now suggested that Ferrari’s leadership structure should adopt a more restrained approach in 2026, allowing Fred Vasseur to operate without excessive external influence or internal political pressure.
Speculation surrounding the Frenchman’s long-term position at Ferrari has intensified in recent months, fuelled by broader paddock rumours involving high-profile technical and managerial movements across Formula 1. One of the key talking points has been the announcement that Gianpiero Lambiase, widely known for his role as race engineer to Max Verstappen, is set to join McLaren in 2028. This development has triggered wider discussions about potential leadership reshuffles across top teams.
In parallel, reports have also linked McLaren team principal Andrea Stella with a possible future return to Ferrari, a narrative that has further amplified uncertainty around Ferrari’s strategic direction. Although McLaren has publicly dismissed these claims, speculation has persisted within the Formula 1 environment. It has also been suggested that John Elkann would prefer an Italian figure to lead Ferrari, reinforcing the Prancing Horse’s national identity at the highest level of the sport.
Despite these rumours, Will Buxton has strongly argued that Ferrari should resist further managerial disruption and instead allow Fred Vasseur to continue building the team in his own image. He emphasised Fred Vasseur’s proven success in junior racing categories and highlighted the importance of stability, long-term trust, and operational independence in modern Formula 1 team management.
Will Buxton further referenced historical precedent at Ferrari, particularly the successful era under Jean Todt in the early 2000s, when Ferrari secured multiple championships with Michael Schumacher. During that period, leadership under Luca di Montezemolo reportedly granted Jean Todt significant operational freedom, allowing the technical and sporting structure to function with minimal interference, a model often cited as a benchmark for Ferrari’s most successful era in Formula 1.
Speaking on the Up To Speed platform, Will Buxton stated that if Ferrari truly intends to return to consistent championship-winning form, the organization must reduce internal interference and allow Fred Vasseur to lead without excessive political pressure or constant external scrutiny. He suggested that Ferrari chairman John Elkann and the wider board should trust Fred Vasseur’s methodology and leadership style, allowing him to implement his vision across the Maranello structure.
Will Buxton added that when Ferrari provides full autonomy to its team principal, results are more likely to follow, pointing once again to the importance of leadership continuity and internal stability. His comments were interpreted as a clear call for Ferrari to prioritize long-term strategic consistency over short-term reactions to performance fluctuations affecting Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
Co-host and former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, however, offered a more balanced perspective, acknowledging that Fred Vasseur remains under considerable pressure despite having signed a new contractual extension in 2025. David Coulthard noted that within Ferrari, expectations are always exceptionally high, and the organization will inevitably believe that both performance and results must improve significantly compared to recent seasons.
David Coulthard also argued that Ferrari must strengthen across all operational areas, including technical development, race execution, and strategic decision-making, while clarifying that the current performance level of the Ferrari Formula 1 car should not be attributed solely to Fred Vasseur’s leadership. He emphasized that team principals in Formula 1 are responsible for overall coordination rather than direct car design or engineering execution.
Referencing broader management philosophy in Formula 1, David Coulthard pointed to historical leadership examples such as Ron Dennis, explaining that even successful team principals do not directly design the cars but instead build the structures that allow technical departments to function effectively.
David Coulthard concluded that while Fred Vasseur would not typically seek to replace himself or undermine his own position, Ferrari’s ownership and controlling structure may still feel that, given the scale and history of the brand, the team should be achieving significantly more consistent victories. This internal expectation continues to shape the pressure environment surrounding Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as Ferrari looks ahead to future Formula 1 seasons.
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