Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc have known each other for a long time. Prior to their time together at Maranello, Vasseur not only worked with Leclerc at Sauber but also during the Monegasque’s karting days. Having worked together for more than eight years now, Vasseur believes he understands Leclerc well.
When asked to explain Leclerc’s qualities, the Frenchman told L’Équipe, “A very good compromise of everything. The advantage for me is that I’ve known him since he was very young. We don’t need to talk a lot. We understand each other quickly. Sometimes a look is enough to know if the other is happy or not. I think he’s excellent in everything“.
Although Leclerc has had a slow start to the 2024 season, he has more than proven himself as one of the most talented drivers on the current grid. In his very first season with Ferrari back in 2019, Leclerc won his intra-team battle against four-time champion Sebastian Vettel.
The Monegasque then also carried on this form during the 2020 campaign as he comfortably beat Vettel by 65 points in the championship. However, ever since Carlos Sainz has joined Leclerc at Ferrari, the 26-year-old has found it more difficult to beat the Spaniard.
In their very first season as teammates in 2021, Sainz beat Leclerc by 5.5 points. However, Leclerc bounced back in 2022 and 2023 as he beat Sainz in both seasons.
2024 will now be Sainz and Leclerc’s final season as teammates since Lewis Hamilton will replace the Spaniard at Ferrari. It is perhaps Sainz who has been shown the exit door at Ferrari instead of Leclerc because of the latter’s close relationship with Vasseur.
Fred Vasseur is the reason why Charles Leclerc extended his Ferrari deal
Soon after Charles Leclerc extended his contract with Ferrari earlier this year, he credited Fred Vasseur for giving him the confidence to stay at Maranello. “I’m fully aligned with the vision that Fred has for the team medium to long-term, and he has also been part of my discussions when I opted to renew my contract,” explained Leclerc (as quoted by racingnews365.com).
He then added that although he loves Ferrari, it was equally important for him to sign for a team, where he can trust the leaders. Leclerc did not feel the same level of comfort when Mattia Binotto was Ferrari’s team principal.
Leclerc also took a dig at Binotto on several occasions for the way he led Ferrari by comparing his leadership style to that of Vasseur. When asked in an interview last season if the personnel at Ferrari are much calmer in their decision-making, Leclerc explained how “Fred has changed“ the way people work in the team.
Although the Monegasque did not name Binotto in the interview, he did admit that in the past, there were a few situations that were “tricky“. Hence, considering how Leclerc seems much more comfortable at Ferrari under the current leadership, it is fair to say that Vasseur has played a critical role in achieving the same.
