F1: Frédéric Vasseur tackles the rumours launched by the Italian media against Ferrari

Just two months ago, the Italian press was in a frenzy: Frédéric Vasseur would he be relieved of his post as Team Principal of the Scuderia Ferrari ? Speculation was rife in "La Gazzetta dello Sport", "Corriere dello Sport" and "Motorsport Italia". We were reading everywhere that his future lay in three Grands Prix - Canada, Austria, Great Britain - and that Antonello Coletta, head of the endurance program, was already ready to take over.

This scenario didn't last long. Early August, Ferrari has dismissed these rumours by extending Vasseur's contract beyond 2025.. A strong, even historic choice, breaking the infernal cycle of changes of boss every four years. But the story doesn't end there: today, Vasseur himself looks back on these turbulent weeks. And the least we can say is that he didn't mince his words.

"It wasn't me or Ferrari who did the talking, it was the media".

In an interview on August 19, Frédéric Vasseur set the record straight. According to him, the rumours about his future have done more harm than the disappointing results of the first half of the season. "It's the rumours that have caused the upheaval. It wasn't me who started them; it was the media. Neither Ferrari nor I have spoken out."

With Ferrari SF-25 lagging behind McLaren's domination, some Italian journalists were already talking about his departure. But for Vasseur, this climate of suspicion, fuelled by "reports that have become much more aggressive", has needlessly weakened the team.

Contract delayed by rumors

Ferrari made its boss's new contract official at the beginning of August. But according to Vasseur, it could have been signed much sooner had it not been for the media noise. "When these rumors surfaced in Canada, I was very angry, because they went too far," he explains.

Technical Director Loïc Serra also came in for unfair criticism, even though he hadn't yet had time to make his mark on the car. Charles Leclerc was repeatedly rumored to be moving to Mercedes, despite a long-term contract with Ferrari. The result: a tense atmosphere that complicated internal discussions.

A troubled team... but united

While the rumours have annoyed Vasseur, they have also served to measure the support he enjoys internally. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton immediately came to his defense.publicly displaying their confidence in him.

And on closer inspection, the facts prove Vasseur right. Since his arrival at the beginning of 2023, Ferrari has progressed: third in 2023, second in 2024, and despite a disappointing first half of the 2025 season, the team remains the second strongest force on the grid. Above all, Vasseur has laid the foundations for the future: Hamilton alongside Leclerc, Loïc Serra in technical terms, in-depth recruitment, and 2026 as the horizon.

Vasseur remains lucid and combative

The Frenchman reminds us that Ferrari needs time to rebuild a champion team. "It took us almost two years to put this new team together. It takes three or four years to build something solid. There's no magic wand."

He also takes the opportunity to point out that Ferrari is not the only victim of this type of rumour: "Look at Red Bull, with all the speculation about Verstappen. That can destabilize any team."

Why Vasseur is right

By attacking the Italian press, Vasseur touches a nerve. In Maranello, emotion often takes precedence over reason. But if Ferrari wants to return to the top, it needs continuity. Jean Todt proved it in his day: it took over six years to build the team that was to dominate F1.

Today, Vasseur has won his bet: he's staying put, with a contract that gives him the legitimacy and time to see his project through to the 2026 era. Yes, the Italian media created a stir. Yes, it had a negative impact. But Vasseur stood firm. And for the first time in a long time, Ferrari finally seems to have opted for stability.