As the first half of the season drew to a close, the position of Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur came under pressure. With good results lacking, Italian media pointed to the Frenchman’s leadership. The team, which employs none other than Lewis Hamilton, has yet to win a single Grand Prix in 2025. There are already doubts at Ferrari about extending Vasseur’s contract, although CEO Benedetto Vigna expresses his confidence in the team boss.
Earlier, Italian media reported that Fred Vasseur was on the chopping block. According to the renowned sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Frenchman should fear for his position within the team. “The next three Grands Prix – from Montreal via the Red Bull Ring to Silverstone – will be decisive for Vasseur, whose contract with Ferrari expires at the end of this year,” the Italians wrote in June. Since then, the Scuderia has achieved some good results, although the British GP was one to quickly forget. On the wet asphalt, both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc declared the SF-25 unmanageable.
Until last weekend, Ferrari remained non-committal about Vasseur’s future, which only further fueled rumors of a possible split. However, in the run-up to the British GP, CEO Benedetto Vigna finally expressed his confidence in the Frenchman. “It’s July, we still have time,” Vigna told the Italian branch of Sky Sports. “We are in talks with Fred (Vasseur). We just had lunch together.”
Unity is Strength
Vigna was notably positive about the current season, despite McLaren seemingly being out of reach in the constructors’ championship: “We’ve seen a fantastic qualification,” he said. “The cars are starting to become more competitive. Ultimately, teams grow by facing challenges – and facing them together. Because it’s true what they say, unity is strength. I love being here and seeing the whole team so united,” he concluded. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm and energy.”
However, the shortcomings of the SF-25, which often falls short against McLaren, Max Verstappen, and regularly also the Mercedes, cannot be denied. Hamilton constantly complained about the lack of grip in the rain during his home race. He eventually managed to gain one position and finished fourth. Leclerc once again lamented a failed strategy and ended up fourteenth. “It was a tough race from the first lap,” Vasseur responded afterwards. “Leclerc took a gamble on slicks, which could have been the right choice. The pace was good – except compared to McLaren. Under dry conditions, we have really made a step forward. Now we need to also make our mark in the qualification.”
