Vasseur: Media instigated rumours caused turmoil at Ferrari

Vasseur revealed for the first time that the intense pressure that unfounded rumours placed on Ferrari during a critical phase of the 2025 Formula 1 season, opening up about the challenges of navigating a media landscape driven by clicks and sensationalism, which he believes disrupted the Italian team's focus and complicated his contract negotiations.

The saga of Vasseur’s contract extension, which dragged on amid swirling rumours he was going to be replaced, became a magnet for speculation about Ferrari’s internal stability. Ramping up when Christian Horner suddenly became available.

Reports of unrest surfaced as early as the Canadian Grand Prix, with some outlets questioning the performance of key figures like technical director Loïc Serra and even suggesting that star driver Charles Leclerc was eyeing a move to Mercedes.

However, Vasseur dismissed these claims as baseless, emphasising that the 2025 car was already well-advanced under Serra’s leadership and that Leclerc had repeatedly affirmed his long-term commitment to Ferrari.

During an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, the Ferrari boss slammed reports that surfaced while Formula 1 was in Canada: “Rumours caused the turmoil. I didn’t start them, the media did. Neither Ferrari nor I spoke. But today, you can’t avoid such interference.

"With the internet, reporting has become much more aggressive. There’s pressure to generate clicks. When these rumours first surfaced in Canada, I was really angry. Because they went too far.”

Vasseur highlighted the emotional toll such stories take in Italy, where Ferrari is a national institution and reactions to news, real or fabricated, can be amplified: “In Italy, people react more emotionally,” he noted. “Without this background noise, my talks with Ferrari would have been much quicker.”

The Ferrari boss also pointed to the broader impact on his team, warning that unchecked speculation can erode focus and morale: “This isn’t about me. Things like this can cause people in the team to lose focus."

"Look at Red Bull and what’s happened there in recent weeks. There have only been rumours about Verstappen. And that’s one of McLaren’s strengths, they’ve managed to stay out of all these stories and upheavals," Vasseur pointed out.

Vasseur’s strategic decision to announce Lewis Hamilton’s signing before the 2024 season was a deliberate move to avoid similar chaos: “If I’d done that between Imola and Monte Carlo, many would have gone into panic mode. This way, Carlos [Sainz] was aware of the situation from the start and was able to digest it before it all started. His focus was on his job.”

Despite the distractions, Vasseur remains confident in the team’s direction. As Ferrari looks ahead to the final races of 2025, his candid remarks underscore the pressures of modern Formula 1.

With his contract now secured, the Frenchman is determined to keep Ferrari’s focus on the track, where the real battles are fought: “I don’t want to tar all journalists with the same brush. But the pressure to generate stories can hurt teams. We’re here to race, not to fuel rumours.”