Andretti: Ferrari will return to the top but I’ve lost faith in Vasseur

Speaking to reporters and guests during the Festival dello Sport in Trento, 1978 Formula 1 World Champion, Andretti, reflected on his lifelong bond with the Prancing Horse, shared anecdotes from his storied career, and looked ahead to Cadillac’s 2026 entry into the sport with Ferrari-built engines.

Andretti said: “Ferrari will return to the top of Formula 1, but I’ve lost faith in Vasseur. I don’t think he’s taking the right direction for the team. The potential is there, but I don’t see the leadership that Ferrari deserves. There’s too much talent in Maranello for the results to stay where they are. They need a strong, clear hand guiding them.

Andretti aalso highlighted the collaboration between Ferrari and Cadillac as a key moment for the sport and for both brands. “The Cadillac powered by Ferrari project represents an incredible opportunity for both sides.

“It’s the meeting of two cultures—Italian engineering and American determination. Ferrari brings technology and history; Cadillac brings ambition and innovation. Together, they can create something truly special for Formula 1.”

Born in Italy, the American racing hero’s relationship with Ferrari goes back decades, rooted in respect and admiration for Enzo Ferrari himself. “It’s always been love for Ferrari, right from the start.

“After Lorenzo Bandini’s death, Enzo swore he’d never have an Italian driver again, and with me he found a good solution. I was born Italian, but I raced as an American. For Enzo, that made sense. Ferrari has always been in my blood,” Andretti recalled.

He went on to recount his emotional return to Maranello in 1982 when Enzo Ferrari personally invited him back to Formula 1: “When he needed to replace Didier Pironi, who was injured, he contacted me. I told him, ‘I’ve been out of F1 for over a year…’ But Enzo wanted me.

"So I flew to Italy, had lunch with him at the Prancing Horse, and then went to Fiorano to test. I did 87 laps, and the record stood for eight years. It was an incredible experience, one of the most memorable of my life.”

Andretti, who has raced 897 times across different series, with 111 victories and 109 pole positions, remains one of the most accomplished and respected figures in motorsport history. At 84, he continues to speak passionately about Ferrari and its importance to the sport’s identity.

He explained: “Ferrari represents passion, emotion, and excellence. There’s no team like it. When Ferrari struggles, Formula 1 feels it. When Ferrari wins, the whole sport feels alive.”

Andretti also reflected on his personal journey from Istria to America, recalling the early spark that ignited his love for racing. “My twin brother Aldo and I immediately fell in love with Formula 1 and Alberto Ascari.

“We were 14 when we first went to Monza in 1954. That was the moment it all started. Later, we moved to America, to Nazareth, Pennsylvania. My father said, ‘We’ll stay maybe five years…’ I still live there today. My father didn’t like racing. He only saw the dangers. Luckily, he didn’t understand English, so we got away with doing whatever we wanted.”

Despite his criticism of Vasseur, Andretti remains confident that Ferrari’s legacy and resources will eventually bring them back to winning ways: “The Prancing Horse will never stop galloping. Ferrari will always come back. It just needs the right person to lead it again. I know the passion is still there inside those walls in Maranello. It just needs to be guided properly.”