Vasseur under fire or Italian media over-reacting about Ferrari?

The fallout was enough to prompt public backing from both Ferrari drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, ahead of the team principals’ press conference on Friday in Montreal.

The outcry in the Italian press, led by some of the country’s most prominent sports dailies, questioned the direction of the team under Vasseur’s leadership. While the Frenchman has rarely shied away from accountability, the latest wave of personal and organisational attacks struck a nerve, not because of his own position, he said, but because of the damage being done to the people who work behind the scenes at Maranello.

"It’s not about myself. This I can manage," Vasseur said. "It’s more about the people of the team. To throw their names like this is just disrespectful for them, for their families. We had the case last year with our chief of aero already, and other names this season. I don’t know the target. I don’t understand the target.

"Perhaps it’s to give problems to the team, but in this case I don’t see the point. Perhaps it’s for them the only way to exist. This is probably more the reason. But it’s really hurting the team. It is at one stage a lack of focus.

"And when you are fighting for the championship, every single detail makes the difference. From the beginning of the weekend we are just speaking about this. And if the target was to put the team in this situation, they’ve reached their goal. But it’s not like this that we will be able to win a championship. At least not with this kind of journalist around us," added the Frenchman.

Vasseur made it clear that his greatest concern lies not with his own reputation, but with the erosion of team morale under the weight of constant external speculation. "These people are working very hard, and to decide one day that this one will be replaced, this one is useless, honestly, it's very harsh. These journalists need to consider that these people have families, wives, and kids. It’s completely disrespectful."

Despite the noise, the Ferrari boss remains committed to maintaining a positive working environment internally. "The mood in the team is very good," he insisted. "We have a clear target. We know we have to push. Everything is on the table to do a good job and altogether we are working well."

Vasseur reserved particular praise for Leclerc and Hamilton, both of whom publicly rejected the media narrative. "Charles has a long-term contract with us. Every single interview since the start of the season he's said he wants to stay with Ferrari and win with Ferrari. But every Monday we see an article saying Charles will leave next year. I don’t know what we have to do anymore."

He added that he understands why his drivers have felt compelled to speak up. "We’re working day to day to reach a target. It's not about me. I'm exposed, I knew that when I took the job. The issue is the team. When a journalist writes Ferrari will hire this person for that role, there's already someone in that role. Imagine being that person, reading that on Sunday night and wondering if you're unemployed on Monday morning. It's brutal."

Asked whether there was anything more he could do to shield his team from the growing rumour mill, Vasseur said he speaks to staff directly. "On Monday morning I go to see the guys and say it’s not true. But I’m not a fireman. It’s just a matter of respect. We’re open. If someone wants to ask about recruitment, either I’ll say no, or I’ll say yes. But in some of these cases I had to Google the name they wrote about just to see who the person even was."

Turning to on-track matters, Vasseur admitted Ferrari's campaign has not met expectations so far. The initial goal, he revealed, was to fight for the championship. "It’s true for us, true for McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes. We all started with that ambition. But probably McLaren are one step ahead of everybody."

Ferrari's season has been inconsistent. A disqualification in China and missed opportunities have left them playing catch-up. "We didn’t do a good job at the start," Vasseur said. "We were 60 points behind Red Bull and Mercedes early on. We’ve had a decent recovery since, but McLaren are still ahead. That’s where we need to focus, on doing a better job every day and not leaving points on the table. That’s the biggest lesson from 2024."

He acknowledged that operationally, Ferrari have made progress in key areas like pit stops and strategy, but the job isn’t to be merely competent. "The target is not to do a good job. The target is to do a better job than the others."

That task is made harder, he said, by distractions and internal turbulence. "Each time we have an issue internally or a distraction from outside, we lose focus. And that’s something we need to control better."

Drawing comparisons to McLaren’s recent turnaround, Vasseur credited their ability to work quietly and diligently during a difficult period. "They were at the back in 2022 and 2023 but stayed focused and improved step by step. That’s what every team wants to do."

Looking further ahead, Vasseur addressed the balancing act between developing the current car and switching resources to the all-new 2026 regulations. "Every team is facing this decision. Every day in the wind tunnel on the 2026 car yields ten times more improvement than on the current one. It’s always a difficult choice, but that’s life. We knew this situation would come."

Despite the pressure, Vasseur remains focused and defiant. "We’re trying to put everything together. We’re pushing. We’re aware when we’re not doing well. And the most important thing is to be able to do your own job. That’s sometimes where we’re struggling, but we are improving."

Whether that improvement will be enough to satisfy the relentless demands of the Italian media remains to be seen. But one thing is clear. Frédéric Vasseur is not backing down.