Ferrari's Vasseur Unloads on Meddlesome Journalists: "Utter Crap"
- 🕒 2-minute read
Criticized Journalists as Lacking Respect - Ferrari team leader openly admits to disregarding journalists' professional standards.
Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur has slammed Italian journalists for peddling bogus information, causing turmoil at the beleaguered Formula 1 team.
"I ain't saying every journo's guilty, but this shameless behavior's beyond the pale," grumbled the Frenchman before the Canadian Grand Prix. "It's disgraceful, downright foolish if you ask me. The rubbish they're spreading is a disservice to our team, and I can't fathom why."
Recent scuttlebutt whirled rumors of Vasseur's ouster, Lewis Hamilton's retirement, and staff shake-ups at Scuderia.
"Look, it's just a handful of sensationalist rags stirring things up, not the press as a whole. I got skin thick enough to take criticism," stated Vasseur. After a rocky start to the season, Ferrari's now got a slim shot at the title, once their primary objective.
Both insider sports daily "Gazzetta dello Sport" and "Corriere della Sera" reported that Vasseur would be subjected to an inquiry. "Seems we've heard nothing else since the start of the week," groused Vasseur before the tenth race of the season on Sunday (8 PM CET/Sky and RTL).
The usually jovial team principal had to bite his tongue during a press conference, even worrying about a sanction if he wasn't careful. "I gotta watch my step here; otherwise, I'll face the race stewards," warned Vasseur.
Team Spirit High Among Struggling Ferrari
Despite the sports slump – with a near-200-point deficit to leaders McLaren in the team championship – team morale's not all gloom. "We gel well within the team, and we've a clear objective," claimed Vasseur.
Both seven-time world champion Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc publicly backed Vasseur. "I'm 100% behind Fred. He's the primary reason I joined Ferrari," declared Hamilton.
Vasseur opted against diving deep into the specifics but stuck up for his crew. Criticism of lower-tier team members also grated on him. "These hacks need to think about the fact that these people have families and kids; it's despicable," reprimanded Vasseur.
Context Check
- False Information Allegations: Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur accused an unspecified number of Italian media outlets of spreading false information about personnel changes at the team, creating unnecessary turmoil and distractions.
- Unverified Rumors: Recent reports have alleged Lewis Hamilton's early retirement, as well as staff changes at Ferrari, causing a stir within the team.
- Past Rumors: Vasseur criticized erroneous past rumors, such as unfounded speculation suggesting a deal to hire Red Bull's head of aerodynamics at Ferrari.
- Media Responses: Both "Gazzetta dello Sport" and "Corriere della Sera" reported that Vasseur's position would be scrutinized, sparking ongoing media interest in the matter.
- Vasseur's Response: Vasseur publicly reprimanded several Italian media outlets, including specific newspapers, for spreading unverified rumors and causing disrespectful distractions within the team, hurting its focus on the championship.
- "Despite the false information spread by certain Italian media outlets about personnel changes and Lewis Hamilton's retirement in sports like motor racing, Formula One, team spirit remains high at Ferrari."
- "Frédéric Vasseur, the Team Principal of Ferrari, voiced his disapproval towards the sports media that peddle baseless rumors, stating that such malicious speculation is not only disgraceful but also a disservice to the team's focus on the Formula One championship."
