Ferrari has transformed a lot since Frederic Vasseur took charge as team principal ahead of the 2023 season. When he joined, the Italian team were plagued with several issues — an inconsistent car, strategic blunders, and driver errors. However, Vasseur has made the necessary changes in personnel, processes, and Ferrari’s culture to bring them back on track as a race-winning outfit.
As the Frenchman starts his third season at Maranello, Ferrari will head into the 2025 campaign as one of the favorites to win the championship, having lost out on the title to McLaren last year by just 14 points. Former Ferrari engineer, Rob Smedley feels that Vasseur can bring the championship back to Maranello, as is the sentiment of many other experts.
“I do, I like Fred,” was Smedley’s response on the Red Flags podcast when asked about his ability to make Ferrari champions again. Referring to Vasseur as someone who is straightforward and one who has immense humility, Smedley added,
“He is very intelligent, but he is also very disarming, and I think that is a good quality to have in a top manager in a pressure cooker environment like that”.
: Former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley backs new team principal Fred Vasseur to make an impact in the middle of the season. Vasseur identified an area for improvement and work is underway on the SF-23 to close the performance gap with Red Bull. The changes will take time to… pic.twitter.com/PrjjpAV5pW
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The 51-year-old added that since the sport of F1 already has a very high-pressure environment, the last thing people in a team need is for their leader to add more pressure on them. This is where Smedley believes Vasseur stands out as the Frenchman takes all the pressure on himself and gives his team the freedom to do the best they can for their tasks.
In 2025, Ferrari will face even more pressure with expectations of a championship challenge. While Vasseur knows how to handle his team in a title battle situation, which was evident in the closing stages of the 2024 season, this year will be a true litmus test for the Frenchman with higher stakes due to Lewis Hamilton’s arrival.
Vasseur needs to deliver a championship for Hamilton
With a seven-time champion like Hamilton set to join them at a time when the team seems to have a strong car, the Tifosi will expect nothing less than to see their team fight for the championship this season.
Even Hamilton is keen on the same and Vasseur knows that the Briton won’t settle for anything less than a championship in his two or three-year reported stint with the Prancing Horse. What will help the Ferrari team principal is his close relationship with Hamilton, having served as his boss in his junior formula days.
So, even if the former Mercedes driver’s expectations are sky-high, Vasseur would know how to handle the British driver and assure him of what he can achieve on track with the package the team provides him. And after a rough three seasons with Mercedes, Hamilton will also need that assurance and backing from a confidante like Vasseur.
The Frenchman’s leadership ability will be under scrutiny on how he manages his drivers, as Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc won’t be happy, if he has to sit back as the Briton’s wingman. So, Vasseur may have to step in and make both drivers work as a team, while letting the drivers’ title battle unfold in a fair manner.
