Under fire, Vasseur says Ferrari job ‘not for life’

Frederic Vasseur has once again taken aim at Formula 1 media outlets, accusing them of harming Ferrari with baseless rumours and sensationalism.

Touching down in Montreal this week, the Ferrari team principal was already fuming about reports suggesting instability within the Scuderia - just as questions began to swirl about his own future. Vasseur’s current three-year deal is set to expire, fuelling speculation.

The 57-year-old had already taken issue with matching reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, while Corriere dello Sport claimed Lewis Hamilton was left angry in Barcelona after setup changes were made to his car without his consent.

"The only possible explanation is that they are either journalists who want to make a name for themselves or they are trying to disrupt the team. Or maybe both," Vasseur told Canal Plus on Saturday.

"Maybe it's the only way for the media to exist, with these clicks. But it really damages the team. From the start of the weekend, it's all about this."

What upsets Vasseur most, he says, is not just the focus on him - but also the wider ripple effects of what he claims are fabricated narratives.

"When you throw names out there, when you invent recruitments that never existed, when you say that Charles (Leclerc) is going to join Mercedes next year..." he said.

"In any case, if they want to be supporters or at least close to the team, it's a failure. We have to ask ourselves the right questions if Ferrari hasn't won for years.

"We've changed the team principal, we've changed drivers, we've changed just about everything. Except one thing."

Vasseur didn’t elaborate on what that “one thing” is - though his remarks may hint at internal or systemic issues he believes remain untouched.

"My position is fragile by definition," said the Frenchman, who took over the reins at Ferrari in 2023. "It's like a football coach.

"We know that when you do this job, whether at Ferrari or elsewhere, you are exposed. I think there are, on average, three team managers who change per season. I didn't come to Ferrari thinking I would stay for life.

"I try to develop the team, to make it progress, to build something. But we're not going to win a championship this way. Certainly not with these kinds of journalists around us."