Vasseur not thinking 'I'm with Leclerc' at Ferrari – Brundle

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Martin Brundle believes Frédéric Vasseur is facing a "tall order" at Ferrari, and that the Frenchman hasn't joined the Scuderia because of his close relationship with Charles Leclerc.

Amid a frenzy of team announcements on Tuesday, Ferrari confirmed Vasseur's transfer from Alfa Romeo F1/Sauber to Maranello for 2023.

Vasseur's success as a mentor of young talent is well chronicled, the Frenchman grooming in the past drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Leclerc of course.

But Brundle notes that Vasseur's achievements with Alfa Romeo F1 haven't been "amazing". Therefore, in the Sky F1 commentator's eyes, the jury is still out as to whether Ferrari's new team boss can deliver a world championship to the Italian outfit in the coming seasons.

Read also:

Vasseur: The new man at the heart of the Ferrari crucible

"One of the toughest jobs for me in sport is team principal of Ferrari," Brundle told Sky News.

"Of course, we know they've let Mattia Binotto go, a lifer really at Ferrari, and Fred Vasseur comes in, and that's a tall order.

"He's got a strong history in motorsport of success, mostly in spec formulas of junior racing.

"Has he done amazing things at Alfa Romeo where you think 'Wow, he's on his way through to a really top job?' Not really.

"But we'll see if he's got the skills required to take Ferrari in the right direction."

Vasseur's close relationship with Leclerc has led to speculation that the Monegasque may have been instrumental in attracting his former team boss to the Scuderia.

But Brundle dismissed the conjecture and insists Ferrari will need to have two happy drivers to outperform its rivals.

"If they've taken Vasseur on because he is close or was close to Leclerc, it's completely the wrong reason," said the former F1 driver. "It's a massively bigger job than that.

"At Ferrari, they've got Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc - one of the finest driver pairings in Formula 1 - and they both need to feel comfortable and loved and supported.

"Fred won't be going there thinking 'I'm with Charles'. They've got a better chance of keeping Leclerc into the future if he's comfortable, but it's all about performance.

"It's not about who's friendly with who in this business, quite the opposite actually. It's really, who can give him a championship potential car and team.

"Whether he raced with Vasseur and won junior championships, as his younger brother does as well, that's by the by."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.