Formula 1 News: Vasseur 'sleeping well' as Ferrari rumors rage

(GMM) As a familiar Ferrari face joins McLaren, Frederic Vasseur’s (pictured) future in red continues to dangle from a thread.

La Repubblica newspaper in Italy reports that long-time former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has been listed as a director of McLaren’s road car division, McLaren Automotive.

Now 77, he has long lamented what he sees as a dearth of true leadership at Ferrari since his days presiding over meteoric success with the likes of Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher.

Today, the Italian media is asking Vasseur how he is sleeping at night amid ongoing speculation that the 57-year-old Frenchman’s contract will not be renewed.

Vasseur spent the recent Canadian GP weekend returning fire at the authoritative Italian F1 journalists who were powering the rumors of his demise.

So far in Austria, the Vasseur issue has only bubbled in the background – as Ferrari introduced a new floor upgrade designed to push the 2025 car closer to McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes.

“I would say the upgrade is going well,” Vasseur told Sky Italia, “but we need to analyze it in depth.”

The issue of his future, however, was raised by the broadcaster next.

“We are focused on the work that we are doing,” Vasseur insisted. “We must remain united and concentrated as a group and for now we are doing well. We are totally focused on the weekend.”

And when asked how he is sleeping at night amid the firestorm of speculation, he answered: “Very well, thankyou.”

A report at Sky Italia, however, thinks the Frenchman’s fate may already be sealed.

Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal of the Scuderia Ferrari, during the Austrian GP, Spielberg 26-29 June 2025, Red Bull Ring Formula 1 World championship 2025.

“Otherwise, they would have already come out with a statement of confirmation,” the report suggested.

“There is nothing official, it must be reiterated, but CEO (Benedetto) Vigna will certainly be at Silverstone. What is clear is that Ferrari cannot return after the summer break with this uncertainty about the team principal.”

Former F1 driver and prominent Italian motorsport figure Ivan Capelli warns against a hasty decision.

“In football,” he said, “replacing the manager can be useful because it’s about the athlete’s mind. But in Formula 1 there is planning, study, design. Interrupting it means starting the process from the beginning and it can take years.

“Additionally, the drivers have publicly declared that they work well with Vasseur, and their voices are important,” Capelli added.