What is really going on at Ferrari? Goodbye Vasseur, hello Coletta?

Within the walls of Maranello, Vasseur's leadership now defines both the present and potential future of the Formula 1 team. As veteran Ferrari 'insider' Turrini writes in his Profondo Rosso column, after eighteen winless years, the solution has never been to simply replace personnel. Yet ultimately, in the top flight where it really matters, results remain the only valid currency.

The Italian scribe points out that a timely reminder of Ferrari's dual identity comes this weekend. The F1 team lines up at the Canadian Grand Prix under pressure, while the AF Corse-run Hypercar squad seeks a third consecutive Le Mans victory. For President John Elkann, architect of both programmes, these contrasting realities lay bare the stark divergence between Ferrari’s current Formula 1 stagnation and its World Endurance Championship dominance.

At the centre of the Formula 1 struggle is Vasseur. In “Cuore Rosso,” a new book by former Ferrari communications officer Roberto Boccafogli, Vasseur is described as a technically gifted leader with deep experience and tireless work ethic.

However, Boccafogli also highlights the Frenchman’s lack of internal empathy and the divisions that can emerge from his managerial rigidity. He reportedly draws sharp lines between trusted and untrusted staff, and those who fall into the latter category often find little room for redemption.

This cultural strain within Ferrari may have contributed to the departure of technical director Enrico Cardile, who is set to join Aston Martin. According to Turrini, the exit reflects a breakdown in communication with Vasseur, who is now gradually reshaping the team to fit his own vision, at times without consulting senior staff directly affected by those changes.

Despite this, Vasseur is credited with maintaining strong driver management. He is seen as key to Leclerc’s emotional balance and has handled Carlos Sainz’s contractual disappointment with care. Crucially, it was Vasseur who ultimately brokered Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for 2025, uniting the seven-time F1 world champion with the Scuderia after years of informal ties.

His early struggles in the SF-25, a car that has yet to prove itself as a race winner, have left him a shadow of the driver who once dominated the sport. Leclerc, by contrast, has three podiums and leads their head-to-head battle.

According to Turrini, Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari was driven not by money but by the belief that he was signing up for a title-contending car. The reality has been jarring, and his visible frustration is a symptom of expectations unmet.

In Turrini's words, Leclerc has long carried the emotional burden of Ferrari. If not for the Monegasque, there would have been little to celebrate since 2019. Even so, Turrini stops short of writing Hamilton off, warning against drawing premature comparisons to Michael Schumacher’s underwhelming comeback with Mercedes.

Yet he acknowledges uncomfortable similarities. Two legends, both arriving at pivotal career stages, have been left exposed by machinery incapable of matching their reputation.

Meanwhile, for Turrini and all Tifosi, Le Mans offers Ferrari a chance to reaffirm its global racing pedigree. Under the guidance of Antonello Coletta, a trusted figure of Elkann and someone operating outside the political noise of the F1 programme, the Hypercar team has delivered three straight wins in Qatar, Imola, and Spa.

The Ferrari 499P returns to La Sarthe not just to defend its crown but to complete a historic hat trick.

This contrast between Ferrari’s two flagship motorsport programmes is not lost on Turrini. There are two Ferraris, he writes," One continues to fall short. The other wins everything. This weekend, one fights for points. The other fights for glory."

As Elkann watches both campaigns unfold, he knows better than most that in sport, power carries responsibility. Just as he made swift decisions at Juventus following disappointing results, his patience with the Formula 1 team may also have a limit.

And if that moment arrives, Turrini believes that Elkann already has a potential replacement for Vasseur in the building. Coletta, the man delivering results at Le Mans, may soon find his scope extended. Let's see if the Ferrari-whisperer is right again abiut his beloved Scuderia.