Ferrari hit with ‘honest witnesses, not pathetic public defenders’ warning in Vasseur debate

“Ferrari doesn’t need pathetic public defenders. We need honest witnesses to the truth.”

Those are the words of respected Italian journalist Leo Turrini as he argued for and against Ferrari replacing Fred Vasseur as team principal ahead of the all-important F1 2026 championship.

Should Ferrari replace Fred Vasseur as team principal?

Italy’s national Formula 1 team, Ferrari, is having a tough start to the F1 2025 season despite high expectations in the build-up given not only the previous season’s momentum, but also the arrival of Lewis Hamilton.

But instead of race victories and a championship fight, Ferrari are facing questions about where it went wrong, leading to speculation that Vasseur could pay the price.

According to Corriere della Sera, his ‘actions have been put under scrutiny by top management. The French boss has been asked to account for the unsatisfactory performance, his position is no longer so firm, he is accused of knowing little about the internal environment.’

La Gazzetta dello Sport went as far as to put a timeline on Ferrari’s decision, claiming Vasseur had until after the British Grand Prix to turn the tide.

Both publications speculated that Antonello Coletta, the man in charge of Ferrari’s hypercar programme, could be in line for the job after Ferrari clinched a third successive 24 Hours of Le Mans victory.

Vasseur has repeatedly denied the rumours and called out “disrespectful” media for hurting Ferrari.

“If it’s their target to put them team in this situation, they reach their goal,” he said.

“But I think it’s not like this that we’ll be able to win a championship, at least not with this kind of journalist around us.”

But that has done little to silence the rumours.

However, one Italian journalist adamant he’s not calling for Vasseur’s head is Turrini.

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“Seriously, come on,” he wrote in his blog in response to the Vasseur rumours, before arguing for and against in four points.

“One. If the Prancing Horse’s last World titles, between driver and constructors, are almost twenty years old, well, it’s hard to blame Vasseur.

“Two. Vasseur shaped the Scuderia as he wished. The 2025 results are discouraging. I have been saying and writing it for months. Fred has to answer for it.

“Three. Let’s leave aside the unfortunate utterances of the country priest. I have been a journalist since I was fifteen (!), I never thought of letting Todt win the World Championships, let alone if I can imagine that my young colleagues today can make them lose to Vasseur.

“And I find it ridiculous (and I restrain myself!) that those who frequent my house, can even remotely accept such nonsense.

“The aforementioned Todt detested the free press, but never attributed to it his years of defeats, which nevertheless existed.

“And after each GP the ferocious Penguin spoke to the media for an hour.

“Four. Ferrari’s 2025 is disastrous, there is no doubt about that.

“But,” he continued, “I don’t ask for Vasseur’s head. The reasoning is simple.

“If the ownership believes that Fred is the right man, they must extend his contract. No ifs and buts. We are on the eve of a regulation change. Trust in leadership, if there is one, must be manifested without uncertainty.

“If, on the other hand, the ownership has come to the conclusion that Vasseur is the wrong man in the wrong place, it must replace him as soon as possible. With Coletta of the WEC or with whoever they want.

“On one condition, however.

“The 2026 car is already ready, or almost. If you send Fred home now, you John Elkann must publicly declare that the successor, whoever he is, will not be responsible, for better or worse, for the ‘immediate’ results. Precisely because it cannot affect what has already been achieved.

“Ferrari doesn’t need pathetic public defenders. We need honest witnesses to the truth.”

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