Frédéric Vasseur will take the helm as the new team boss at Scuderia Ferrari, effective from January 9, 2023. The Frenchman is set to replace Mattia Binotto, who reportedly resigned at the end of the 2022 season due to a lack of confidence from Ferrari Chairman, John Elkann. Vasseur is transitioning from Alfa Romeo Racing, where he served as the CEO and team boss.
A Storied Career in Motorsport
Vasseur boasts a long and illustrious career in motorsport. After completing his studies in aeronautics and engineering, he founded the ASM team in 1996. His team achieved significant success, first in the French Formula 3 championship and later in the Formula 3 Euroseries. With the support of Mercedes-Benz, he clinched titles in the latter series with Jamie Green, Lewis Hamilton, Paul di Resta, and Romain Grosjean. In 2004, Vasseur and Nicolas Todt, the son of former Ferrari team boss and later FIA chairman Jean Todt, formed the ART Grand Prix Team. This venture also proved successful, with ART winning the GP2 championship in 2005 with Nico Rosberg and the following year with Lewis Hamilton.
Transition to the Pinnacle of Motorsport
Vasseur made his leap to the pinnacle of motorsport in 2016 when he became the team boss for Renault’s F1 team. However, this partnership was short-lived due to multiple clashes with CEO Cyril Abiteboul, leading to Vasseur’s departure at the end of the season. In the summer of 2017, Vasseur took on the role of CEO at Sauber Motorsport AG and team boss of Sauber’s F1 team. The racing team was rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing in 2019. In 2022, the team, with drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, finished sixth in the constructors’ championship.
Frédéric Vasseur’s Enthusiasm for His New Role at Ferrari
Frédéric Vasseur expressed his delight at being appointed as the team boss at Ferrari, where he will work with his compatriot Charles Leclerc and Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr. as permanent drivers in 2023. Vasseur has a history with Leclerc, who became the GP3 class champion in 2016 for ART and made his debut in the premier class at Alfa Romeo Sauber in 2018 with Vasseur as team boss. “My whole life is dominated by a passion for racing. And Ferrari is, of course, the pinnacle of motorsport. I want to honor the history of Ferrari’s heritage,” he stated.
‘A Weakening for Ferrari’
Team boss Frédéric Vasseur aims to compete with Mercedes and Red Bull Racing in 2023. Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, called Vasseur’s appointment as Binotto’s successor a wrong choice. “With the new man, who has many other jobs, I see a weakening for Ferrari,” said Marko. Vasseur is also the owner and founder of Spark Racing Technology, a company that was, among other things, the exclusive chassis supplier for the Formula E class.
Ferrari’s Struggles and Vasseur’s Optimism
The battle is still some way off. Ferrari, like all other teams, has lost a lot of ground to Red Bull. The Italian racing team rarely makes it to the podium and often has to fight for a good final result. Particularly, tire wear and speed in the race are significant shortcomings of Ferrari. However, the team boss remains optimistic. “We can win a few races this year. As soon as we manage to unlock the potential of the car, we will start from the front row and can compete for the win. We have made mistakes in the races, but it is exaggerated to say that the speed was not there.”
