Vasseur admits Ferrari 'noise' is a 'big issue' as Hamilton defends under-fire team principal

Vasseur: the 'noise' is the real problem

Frederic Vasseur has admitted that the constant speculation around his future is a "big issue" for Ferrari, revealing that the Scuderia's decision to release a statement this week reaffirming their backing of the Frenchman had become "mandatory."

The team principal said after last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix that the squad were "not working in perfect serenity" amid persistent and "frustrating" rumours over his position. Italian media have speculated over Vasseur's future in recent weeks, with reports linking Christian Horner to the role.

"When you see the noise and all the rumours in the press all the week, I think as a team we need to work in serenity, and it was absolutely not the case," Vasseur said. "I think the statement was mandatory to do something, or it would have been the same this weekend.

"But honestly, the big issue that we have today is the stability, the serenity in the team, the focus that we need to have, and not to have this kind of question all the day."

Five races without a podium

Vasseur, who joined Ferrari from Sauber in 2023, has overseen the team's return to regular race-winning form this year following a poor 2025. However, their championship challenge to Mercedes has faded in recent months amid a five-race run without a podium finish.

The 58-year-old, who signed a multi-year contract extension last season, called for a more "friendly media" and said some of the criticism had crossed a line.

"When you take the role, the positive and the negative side of the job. I was expecting something like this," Vasseur said. "What is sometimes a bit unfair is when you put someone under the bus, and I'm there also to defend my team, my guys.

"When we are winning, we are winning as a team, but when we are struggling, I'm there to defend all of them. I think it's the right attitude from everybody, from them to defend the team principal, from me to defend them when we are struggling.

"Honestly, I knew what I would get on that. I'm not surprised at all, but sometimes the attacks are a bit personal. It's not good."

Hamilton's defence and the structure question

Lewis Hamilton passionately defended Vasseur ahead of this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, though he also pointed to Ferrari's structure and whether it needed to change. It was unclear whether Hamilton's comments were aimed at the top of the organisation – including chairman John Elkann and chief executive Benedetto Vigna – or those below Vasseur.

Asked about Hamilton's remarks and the Ferrari structure, Vasseur insisted his relationships at the top remain solid.

"The relationship that I have with my bosses, Benedetto and John, is a very good one," Vasseur said. "We are in daily contact, and I can't complain at all about the organisation. But for sure, you always want to get more, you always want to do more, you always want to recruit more too.

"But I think it's true for me and it's true for everybody on the grid, that you always want to do more because it's the DNA of what we are doing. But honestly, it has nothing to do with the organisation."