MONTREAL — Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur lashed out at the Italian media after reports he is on the verge of being sacked from the Formula 1 team.
Several outlets in Italy this week took aim at Ferrari, including Corriere della Sera, the nation’s most read newspaper, which suggested Vasseur is on thin ice after the team’s slow start to 2025.
On Thursday Lewis Hamilton passionately defended Vasseur, who he credited as the main architect of his move to Ferrari this season.
A report in La Gazzetta dello Sport also said the arrival of technical director Loïc Serra, who followed Hamilton from Mercedes this year, has fallen short of expectations internally.
Vasseur’s first appearance in front of the media came on Friday and he was in a punchy mood, making a quip about the governing FIA’s recent fines for people using profanity in press conferences.
“First, I have to stay calm because I will have to visit the stewards,” Vasseur said after the first question about the reports.
He went on to say the reports were having an adverse effect on other members of the team.
“It’s some Italian media, it’s not all Italian media. It’s not about myself, because this I can manage. It’s more about the people of the team. To throw their names like this, I think it’s just disrespectful for them, for the family. And we had the case last year with the chief of aero [Aston Martin-bound Enrico Cardile] already. We had some other names this season.
“I don’t know the target. I don’t understand the target. Perhaps it’s to give s— 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.
“At one stage it’s the lack of focus. And when you are fighting for the championship, every single detail makes the difference. And from the beginning of the weekend we are just speaking about this.
“And if it’s their target to put the team in this situation, they reach their goal. But I think it’s really… It’s not like this that we will be able to win a championship. And at least not with this kind of journalist around us.”