Journalist irritates Ferrari's top racing official

Journalist Irritation Infuriates Ferrari Team Leader

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Once again, there's tension at Ferrari with media reports causing a ruckus. Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal, is on the hot seat and has taken aim at journalists.

In an awkward pre-Canadian Grand Prix press conference, Vasseur criticized certain Italian media outlets for spreading false information about the Formula 1 team, calling it "disrespectful" and "stupid." He understands he's not everyone's favorite, but this isn't acceptable behavior.

Stories about Vasseur's supposed dismissal, Lewis Hamilton's early retirement, and other personnel upheavals at Scuderia have sent shockwaves through the racing community.

"We're only dealing with a few overzealous media outlets, not all of them," Vasseur explained ahead of the 10th race of the season on Sunday (8 p.m. on Sky and RTL). He was careful to hold his tongue, aware that if he didn't, he might be slapped with a penalty by the race stewards.

Despite the sporting struggles—Ferrari lags significantly behind leader McLaren in the team championship—Vasseur remains optimistic. "We have a strong bond among ourselves and a clear goal. Team morale is high," he said.

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Hamilton Supports Vasseur

Both Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc have publicly backed Vasseur. Hamilton expressed unwavering support for Vasseur, stating he's the key reason he joined Ferrari. Vasseur didn't delve into details but defended his staff, as criticism from lower-tier journalists also grated on him. "They should remember that these people have families and kids; it's disrespectful," he said.

Sources: ntv.de, dbe/dpa

Enrichment Data:

The uproar at Ferrari revolves around Frédéric Vasseur's job security, with heavy media scrutiny and internal dynamics at play. Recent reports from Italian media suggest that Vasseur might be replaced due to Ferrari's lackluster performance in the 2025 season[1][2]. Vasseur has reacted strongly, accusing the media of irresponsible speculation and negativity towards the team[1][2].

However, Vasseur has received public support from influential figures such as Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who has shown faith in Vasseur's leadership[1][4]. Ferrari itself has dismissed the rumors as "nonsense," indicating no immediate plans to replace Vasseur[5].

An interesting tidbit is that Vasseur's contract with Ferrari is nearing its end and has yet to be renewed for 2026. This uncertainty fuels speculation about his future[4]. However, as of now, there's no formal announcement regarding any change in his position. Ex-F1 driver Martin Brundle also defended Vasseur, suggesting it would be impractical to change the team principal mid-season[3].

I'm not going to be able to focus on sports with such relentless speculation about my job security.

Regardless of Ferrari's performance in sports, it's disrespectful for media outlets to target individual team members and their families.