Fred Vasseur dismisses claims of an internal crisis at Ferrari while standing up for the team.

Fred Vasseur acknowledges that there were matters to resolve between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at Monza, and the Ferrari team principal has had discussions with both drivers following the Italian Grand Prix, focusing on the on-track occurrences as well as some statements made.

What Vasseur dismisses, however, is the magnitude that the situation has assumed, with the incident quickly being interpreted as indicative of alleged discord within the team.

“We had productive discussions with Lewis and Charles,” Vasseur told Motorsport.com. “They resolved their issues together, and I reminded them of some key principles regarding how I lead the team. I will continue to adhere to those.”

The message from the Scuderia chief extends beyond the events at Monza. Vasseur expects his drivers to acknowledge their role in safeguarding the team's efforts, just as he claims to do when things don’t go as planned.

“I reminded Lewis that when we triumphed in Melbourne two years ago due to strategy, I sent Ravin Jain onto the podium because it was only fair that he receive recognition. Conversely, when we lost a race due to strategy, I stepped in front of the cameras and accepted the blame,” he stated.

“My role is to defend the hundreds of individuals in the team and to take accountability. That is what I have requested from the drivers as well: to achieve success, we must safeguard the team, and each of us must own our responsibilities.”

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Vasseur won’t silence his drivers, but felt criticism was overstated

This is not a call for silence. Vasseur is not urging Leclerc and Hamilton to refrain from being critical, but he emphasizes that remarks made in front of the media can carry significantly more weight than the speaker may have intended.

“I’m not telling them to be less candid or to avoid being tough. However, they often express themselves more calmly in private than they do in front of the press,” Vasseur clarified. “Lewis mentioned: ‘Fred, 80% of my message was positive, yet they focused on the 20% that was negative.’ But we all understand how this operates. If you compliment the team and then add a ‘but’, that is what becomes the headline. It’s part of the game.”

This is where Vasseur links the situation to the narrative that, in his perspective, emerged after Monza. The two Ferrari drivers narrowly avoided contact, Hamilton displayed aggression, and Leclerc later acknowledged his own misjudgment. Yet, what began as an on-track incident quickly escalated into inquiries regarding driver management and even the stability of the Scuderia's leadership.

“Charles, following our discussion, admitted: ‘I was too aggressive.’ And for me, that’s acceptable. When Kimi was battling Russell, he ended up in the gravel, similar to what happened to Lewis at the start,” Vasseur countered. “However, in our case, we swiftly transitioned from an incident on track to a discussion about a crisis in driver management. I believe both aspects should be kept in proper context.”

Ferrari outlines principles for drivers but lacks explicit rules for engagement

Regarding the concept of “rules of engagement”, Vasseur also disputes the notion that Ferrari lacks a framework governing how its drivers compete against each other, and while there is no code that could address every detail of an on-track battle, there are established principles and responsibilities.

“Claiming that there are no ‘rules of engagement’ does not reflect the reality,” he remarked. “You cannot expect contracts to encompass every conceivable scenario that may arise on track, as that would inevitably lead to interpretations. ‘I was there’, ‘no, you were five centimeters behind’ — such discussions resolve nothing. The principles are clear, and the drivers are aware of them.”

Ferrari’s philosophy remains steadfast: two top drivers and equitable treatment. A hierarchy may eventually emerge when the championship standings indicate that one of the two is no longer in contention, but not before that point.

Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

“Ferrari drivers can expect fair treatment, and there may come a time when a decision must be made if one of them is out of contention,” Vasseur stated. “In that scenario, it will be my call. But until then, the treatment will remain equal.”

Vasseur cites the previous season as a reference point, when Piastri arrived at Monza with over a 30-point lead against Norris, and McLaren requested Piastri during the race to relinquish second place back to Norris.

“Picture if McLaren had decided to commit fully to Piastri: it’s possible that Verstappen, who ended just three points shy of Norris, might have clinched the title,” he elaborated. “That’s what I shared with our drivers. We’ll make a choice as we approach the season's conclusion, why not? But right now, there’s nothing to deliberate.”

Vasseur defends Ferrari's engine enhancement

Another aspect Vasseur highlights pertains to Ferrari’s technical evaluation. The ADUO 2, launched by the Scuderia at Monza, has been characterized in some circles as an upgrade that didn’t meet expectations. The team principal contends that this assertion is incorrect as it overlooks the varying impacts of engine power on lap times across different circuits.

“I understand it can be challenging to grasp at first sight, but anyone with some technical insight knows precisely what I mean,” Vasseur stated.

“For instance: at a track like Zandvoort, a power shortfall of X horsepower could result in a three-tenths deficit. If we enhance that engine’s performance sufficiently to reduce the power gap by a third, then move to a track like Monza, we may discover that the time difference to our competitors, rather than diminishing… actually increases.

“That doesn’t imply the ADUO isn’t effective. Even if you achieve a gain of several horsepower, at Monza you might still find yourself further from the benchmark than you were at Zandvoort.”

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Beyond the statistics, there's a significant matter that Vasseur views as crucial: honoring the efforts being made at Maranello.

“When I see statements claiming ‘the ADUO isn’t functioning,’ I consider that disrespectful to those working on the engine, as it doesn’t represent the truth,” he remarked.

Handling the demands of being Ferrari's leader

The Frenchman understands that heading Ferrari means enduring constant scrutiny. Speculation about his position has surfaced intermittently, just as it did last year, when rumors of a potential exit emerged despite his contract renewal already being secured.

“Someone claims I’m going to be dismissed this weekend, or that I was let go last night,” he noted. “We’ve secured two victories, we can achieve more, and we have a clear vision of how to progress. That’s where I’m directing my focus. Operating under pressure is simply part of my role. It’s not something I wish to expend energy on.”

When asked if he ever feels “isolated” in his role, Vasseur firmly dismissed the notion.

“Firstly, it’s not for me to emphasize whether or not I have the chairman's backing, but the lines of communication are always open and constructive,” Vasseur affirmed. “Moreover, nearly every race weekend, we’ve had senior management representatives from Maranello alongside us, including John Elkann, Benedetto Vigna, and Piero Ferrari. I think that’s a very encouraging sign for everyone within the team, both at the circuit and in Maranello.”

Nevertheless, the pressure persists. And Vasseur seems resolute in his decision not to evade it. It is an inherent part of leading Ferrari. What he requests is that criticism remains as such and that a racing incident stays a racing incident, rather than each occurrence being interpreted as indicative of a broader crisis.