Former GP driver Martin Brundle questions whether Ferrari made the right decision going forward in choosing new team boss Fred Vasseur to succeed Mattia Binotto.
Even before Ferrari announced the previously denied departure of the previous team boss Mattia Binotto, Fred Vasseur was already being traded as his successor. The Frenchman was introduced on Tuesday as the new team principal of the Scuderia, who previously worked as CEO and team boss at Alfa Romeo Racing.
For Martin Brundle, the choice of Ferrari raises questions. In his video analysis of the change at the top of the world’s oldest racing team, the former GP driver and today’s “Sky Sports F1” expert says: “For me, the role of Ferrari team boss is one of the toughest jobs in motorsport. They sacked Mattia Binotto, who was actually a lifelong Ferrari driver, and named Fred Vasseur as his successor. A difficult task awaits him now.”
“I’m not entirely sure why Ferrari decided to go without a boss for a month and then wait another month for Fred to settle in,” stresses the Brit, who says of the new team boss at Maranello: “He has a strong past in the junior classes. But he hasn’t done so much at Alfa Romeo that one feels he’s commended himself for higher responsibilities. We’ll see if he has the skills to steer Ferrari in the right direction.”
The fact that Vasseur has a good relationship with Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is not enough, in Brundle’s eyes, to justify his commitment. “If they brought Vasseur because he is close to Charles Leclerc, then that is the wrong reason. The job as Ferrari team boss is much more than that. The team has one of the best driver pairings in Formula 1 with Carlos Sainz and Leclerc – and both drivers have to feel comfortable and feel the support of the team. »
Looking at Leclerc, the 63-year-old makes it clear: “I think they have a better chance of keeping Leclerc in the future if he feels comfortable, but in the end it’s all about performance. He needs a car that gives him a chance of winning the world title. The fact that he worked with Vasseur and won in the junior classes like his younger brother did is beside the point.”