After a couple of disappointing seasons under Mattia Binotto, Ferrari brought in Fred Vasseur this year hoping that he would be able to turn the tides. While there haven’t been many noticeable improvements, one thing that Vasseur has been able to change is the drivers’ faith in the team, with Charles Leclerc claiming that Vasseur gives him confidence in the long-term Ferrari project.
In a recent interview with Canal+, Leclerc revealed the details regarding his relationship with Vasseur. The Monegasque said, “Fred really is the person who gives me confidence for the future.” He commented further, “It’s also true that we have to give Fred time because it is only his first year but well I am confident”
“fred really is the person who gives me confidence for the future. […] it’s also true that we have to give fred time because it is only his first year but well i am confident”
charles in a recent interview with canal+
(via sedicii)pic.twitter.com/9zQWQ26cxd
— clara (@leclercsletters) November 25, 2023
Leclerc also dived into his work process with Vasseur. He explained that Vasseur has a clear goal about what he wants to achieve with Ferrari and he regularly shares this vision with Leclerc. This makes it easier for him to keep his faith in the team and be confident about the future.
Another factor that makes things easier is that Leclerc has already worked with Vasseur before and knows how the Frenchman likes to get about with his job. Vasseur was the team principal of Sauber when Leclerc made his F1 debut with them. The duo had worked together for a year before Leclerc made the step up to Ferrari.
Ferrari has been much more consistent than before
While Ferrari did start the 2022 season on a much better note, a series of driver errors and strategic mistakes allowed Red Bull to run away with the championship.
As of 2023, Red Bull have been even more dominant, but Ferrari have been much more consistent than before. The team has been working with a much stronger mentality and the lack of silly errors from both the drivers as well as the staff bears witness to that.
️| Fred Vasseur on Charles Leclerc:
“We need this ambition in the team, to have a leader like Charles who is pulling us along at the moment. It does us good.”
— Ferrari News (@FanaticsFerrari) November 26, 2023
Ferrari became the only team other than Red Bull to win a race this season. They managed to get things together towards the end of the season and now are fighting for the P2 spot with Mercedes. Heading into the Abu Dhabi GP, the Maranello-based team is only 4 points behind Mercedes and will be hoping to overtake the Silver Arrows easily.
As for Charles Leclerc, he currently stands P7 in the driver’s championship with 188 points to his name. While it surely hasn’t been the best season for the Monegasque, it has set a good precedent for what is to come in the future.
