Ferrari reaffirm support for Fred Vasseur with team second in championship

Ferrari have reaffirmed their support for team principal Fred Vasseur, with senior management using an unscheduled media call on Tuesday to make clear that their position has not changed. According to the Guardian, the team said it retained confidence in Vasseur and his staff as it continues a season that has fallen short of its title ambitions.

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Chief communication officer Maria Conti delivered the message on behalf of chairman John Elkann and chief executive Benedetto Vigna. She said Ferrari had already settled its leadership choices and did not intend to encourage outside speculation. The intervention was an explicit endorsement from the company's leadership, rather than an announcement of a new appointment or contract.

The competitive picture leaves Ferrari defending second place while facing a substantial deficit to the championship leaders. BBC Sport reported that, after 15 of the scheduled 23 races, Ferrari trailed Mercedes by 160 points. McLaren, in third, were 72 points behind Ferrari, making the contest immediately behind the leaders another focus for Vasseur's team.

Ferrari had entered 2026 hoping that major changes to both car and engine regulations would put it in contention for the championship. BBC Sport reported that its chassis had initially been regarded as Formula 1's strongest, but that its engine performance had not matched Mercedes or Red Bull. Asked after the Baku race whether he still trusted the team's direction under Vasseur, Lewis Hamilton answered affirmatively.

Vasseur joined Ferrari at the start of 2023 and received a contract extension in July 2025. According to BBC Sport, the team described that agreement as covering multiple Formula 1 seasons without announcing its precise duration. Tuesday's public backing therefore follows an existing commitment to the Frenchman, who succeeded Mattia Binotto as team principal.

The Guardian reported that Vasseur had described discussion of his future after Baku as an unwelcome distraction. He said his response was to keep working to move the team forward. Conti's intervention reinforced management's support for that work and its refusal to let outside discussion dictate Ferrari's stated position on its leadership.