Ferrari has taken the unusual step of publicly reaffirming its confidence in Team Principal Fred Vasseur amidst speculation about his future. The move came ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend in Sepang, following renewed media focus on Vasseur’s position.
The speculation was intensified by comments from former Red Bull boss Christian Horner, who described leading Ferrari as a ‘dream job’. This prompted Ferrari’s chief communication officer, Maria Conti, to hold a media briefing to quell the rumours.
Conti stated that Ferrari has ‘full confidence’ in Vasseur and his team, confirming the message was on behalf of chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna. ‘Ferrari’s position is clear, has not changed, and Ferrari has made its choices already,’ she said.
During the official team principals’ press conference in Sepang, Vasseur received vocal support from Williams Team Principal James Vowles. Vowles interrupted a question to defend his counterpart, stating Ferrari is in its best championship position for some time.
‘Normally we beat each other up and put knives in our backs, but Ferrari is in the best place it’s been in the championship for a while,’ Vowles stated.
Vowles also highlighted Ferrari’s technical progress under Vasseur’s leadership. ‘They have innovation on the car this year with a rear wing and exhaust blowing that we’ve all copied as a result of it. It’s a team that’s doing brilliantly.’
Ferrari currently sits second in the Constructors’ Championship, though they trail leaders Mercedes by a significant margin. The team has secured two victories this season but has not scored a podium in the last five events.
Vasseur, who joined Ferrari in 2023 and signed a multi-year contract extension in July 2025, admitted the pressure was expected. However, he noted that some of the recent attacks have become personal.
‘When you take the role, you know the positive and the negative side of the job,’ Vasseur said. ‘What is sometimes a bit unfair is when you put someone under the bus, and I’m there also to defend my team, my guys.’
Both Ferrari drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, also backed their team principal on Thursday in Sepang. Hamilton called Vasseur a ‘fantastic leader’, while Leclerc described the speculation as ‘disrespectful’.
