Charles Leclerc knows that team boss Frederic Vasseur isn’t the most emotional guy, but it’s exactly this kind that does the otherwise emotional Ferrari team good
Whoever knows Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur knows what a joker the Frenchman can be. The story about eating flower decorations at Toto Wolff’s wedding is legendary, and when a driver like Antonio Giovinazzi scores his first points in Formula 1, he sometimes runs after him with scissors to cut off his hair.
But on the other hand, Vasseur often comes across as rather sober, which doesn’t fit in at all with the emotional nature of Ferrari. But it is precisely this cool nature that is good for the Scuderia for once, says Charles Leclerc.
“Fred is pretty cold emotionally,” says the Monegasque, “but that’s really good in his position.” Because Leclerc knows how the clocks tick at Ferrari. “That’s what I love most about Ferrari: the emotion we feel when we’re on a high, and how passionate the people are,” he says.
Vasseur’s sober manner is good in this respect, he says, to balance those emotions somewhat. “It’s good to have that clear view when things go wrong. And when things go well, that that’s not all then. That we have to keep working hard,” Leclerc stresses.
But he also says: “I think we already had this philosophy, but I also think Fred has strengthened it, and that’s really good.”
Frederic Vasseur had joined Ferrari as team principal and successor to Mattia Binotto ahead of the 2023 Formula One season. He had previously worked as team principal of Alfa Romeo and Renault in Formula One.
Under his leadership, Ferrari has stabilised after a mixed start to the season and is currently chasing second place in the Constructors’ World Championship, currently held by Mercedes. The Scuderia is only 20 points off the lead and has managed to make up points on the Silver Arrows in each of the last four races.
At the Singapore Grand Prix, Vasseur celebrated his first victory as team boss in Formula 1 with Carlos Sainz.