Horner and Brown passionately defend Vasseur after Ferrari exit rumours

Red Bull Formula 1 chief Christian Horner and McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown have backed Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur amid rumours he is facing a possible exit from his role.

Rumours from several Italian media outlets suggested that the Frenchman, who joined the team ahead of the 2023 season, could be force out of the Maranello outfit. However, Vasseur and both drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, have categorically denied this.

Horner and Brown backed Vasseur in the role during the team press conference in Silverstone.

“Well, look, I think in any organisation, stability is tremendously important,” the Red Bull team principal commented.

“We’ve had 21 years of stability and, you know, that has borne the kind of results that we’ve achieved. I think Fred is a very capable manager. He’s obviously managing effectively a national team in Ferrari, and with that comes expectation and pressure.

“He’s still relatively new to the role and it takes time. It takes time to put the right processes in place, the right people, the right culture, and there are no silver bullets in this business. It’s about collectively getting a group of people to work towards one objective, and with Ferrari, there is the added pressure of national expectation.”

Brown added, “I’m a Fred fan. I’ve known Fred for a long time, as we all have. I find him to be very sportive, so I enjoy racing against him. He’s very technical. He’s a racer.

Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

“He’s in multiple disciplines of motorsports and he was one pass away from winning the world championship last year. So, I think the results that are winning races… It’s hard to see from the outside looking in.

“But I’m a Fred fan. I think he does a good job and, you know, almost won the world championship last year.”

Mercedes chief Toto Wolff also backed Vasseur this week.

“In Formula 1 you can’t buy time, and you need to give senior leadership the time to get on top of things,” Wolff explained. “Jean Todt, if I’m not wrong, joined the team [Ferrari] in 1993. They won the first championship in 2000. Eight years. That’s how it goes. 

“And it comes in cycles. Look at us. I’m not enjoying being in a phase that it’s the third year in a row that we’re not fighting for a championship. We’re not useless. We have really good weekends. We’re winning races. It’s respectable at times. And when it’s not good, nobody’s questioning whether the top guy is doing a good job or not.

“Leave him the space. Let him do. Allow him to structure an organisation that isn’t going to grip from day one. Loic is there six months or seven months. They need to just let them do.”

Photos from British GP – Practice