Fred Vasseur replaces Mattia Binotto at Ferrari
Fred Vasseur will replace Mattia Binotto as Ferrari’s F1 team principal starting on 9th January, the team has announced. He joins the Maranello outfit from his position of CEO and team principal at Sauber Alfa Romeo, a position which he had held since 2017.
Vasseur’s winning motor racing experience goes back 25 years, with successes in junior racing series including GP2 championships for Nico Rosberg in 2005 and Lewis Hamilton in 2006. His time at Sauber followed a year at the reborn Renault Sport F1 team in 2016.
Vasseur joins Ferrari at an interesting time. After years in the doldrums, 2022 presented a chance at getting back to the top of the championship with what was a proven race-winning car. But strategic mistakes through the season and struggles with development meant that neither Charles Leclerc or Carlos Seinz Jr. ever managed a proper title challenge.
Vasseur has previously worked with Leclerc at Sauber, during the Monegasque’s impressive first season in F1 and the two have remained close ever since. He was also integral to the turn around, in both sporting and financial terms, of Sauber over the last few seasons. His position at Sauber had been in doubt ever since the announcement of the new partnership with Audi from 2026.
“I am truly delighted and honoured to take over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as Team Principal,” Vasseur said of his appointment.
“As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me. I look forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honour the history and heritage of the Scuderia and deliver for our Tifosi around the world.”
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images
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