Brundle backs Vasseur: ‘It would be nuts to change Fred'

Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle has strongly defended Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur amid speculation about the latter’s future with the Scuderia, insisting it would be “nuts” for the Scuderia to part ways with the Frenchman.

Following a promising end to the 2024 Formula 1 season, expectations were high for Ferrari to mount a genuine title challenge in 2025, particularly after the high-profile signing of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to race alongside Charles Leclerc.

However, a poor start to the season has reignited scrutiny from the Italian press, with Vasseur’s leadership now called into question.

Speaking during last weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Brundle was unequivocal in his support for Vasseur, suggesting the criticism towards Vasseur is misplaced and counterproductive.

“It would be nuts to change Fred,” Brundle said. “Is he the problem? I don’t think he’s the problem. At the moment, the car’s not fast enough. Now that’s a collaboration between everybody in the team.”

The former F1 driver pointed out the dangers of instability and the lack of obvious alternatives if Ferrari were to make yet another leadership change.

“Who would you replace him with? And then a new broom comes in, and everybody keeps their head down, staff working in silos because they want to see where they stand with their new boss.”

Since the departure of Jean Todt at the end of 2007, Ferrari have cycled through five team principals in 17 years, a rate of turnover that Brundle believes is contributing to the team’s lack of sustained success.

"This Is Not a Premier League Club"

Brundle emphasized that Vasseur, who took the reins at Ferrari at the start of 2023, should be given more time and credit for the progress he’s made.

“That’s the last thing Ferrari needs to do at the moment. Fred’s got a lot of experience,” Brundle said.

“I think he can handle the pressure. I mean, it’s only a year ago I did an interview with him here, and everybody was celebrating what an amazing job he’d done in turning Ferrari around.”

Read also:

• Vasseur's fury: Ferrari boss slams 'stupid' Italian media rumors

Drawing a comparison to football’s notoriously volatile coaching carousel, Brundle warned against applying the same mentality in F1 team management.

“This is not a Premier League club where you just keep changing the managers until, eventually, you hopefully find one. You can’t do that, and it would be nuts,” he concluded.

In Montreal last week, Vasseur himself responded to the rumours by calling the media speculation “disrespectful” and “very harsh,” warning it could destabilize the team.

Despite the pressure, there is a growing sense – shared by seasoned observers like Brundle – that Ferrari’s constant reshuffling at the top may be doing more harm than good.

As Ferrari navigates a challenging season, Brundle’s comments underscore the need for stability and trust in Vasseur’s leadership to steer the iconic team back to competitiveness.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook