News Summary
- Italian journalist Giorgio Terruzzi has reported a breakdown in communication between Fred Vasseur and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna.
- Lewis Hamilton has been described as operating within a “separate republic”, although he has denied requesting personnel changes.
- Ferrari remains second in the Constructors’ Championship but trails Mercedes by 145 points and now faces renewed pressure from McLaren.
Ferrari’s uneven 2026 campaign has developed into something more consequential than a debate about performance. According to fresh reporting in Italy, the team’s competitive decline is now exposing tensions around Fred Vasseur’s leadership and Lewis Hamilton’s position inside Maranello.
Italian journalist Giorgio Terruzzi said on the Terruzzi Racconta podcast that communication between Vasseur and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna has effectively broken down. Terruzzi also reported that the Frenchman has acquired the ironic nickname “Napoleon” within the organisation because of what some regard as an overly centralised and increasingly abrasive leadership style.
The claims have not been confirmed publicly by Ferrari. They nevertheless emerge at a vulnerable moment for Vasseur, whose position is being judged against both Mercedes’ commanding form and McLaren’s progress during the middle phase of the season.
Ferrari has won twice in 2026, with Hamilton prevailing in Barcelona before Charles Leclerc’s victory at Silverstone. Those results demonstrated the potential of the SF-26, but the team has failed to maintain a consistent challenge against Mercedes across the full campaign.
Mercedes leads Ferrari by 145 points in the Constructors’ Championship. McLaren, meanwhile, has reduced its deficit to the Italian team to 52 after two recent victories for Lando Norris.
Performance problems become political problems
Ferrari’s deficit has not been confined to chassis performance. Despite introducing two updates to its ADUO power unit, the Italian engine has reportedly surrendered as much as 0.6s to Mercedes on the straights at certain circuits.
The disappointing weekends at Monza and Madrid intensified scrutiny around Vasseur, particularly because Ferrari must now balance its attempts to rescue the current campaign with preparations for its 2027 car.
That creates a familiar problem for Ferrari: technical shortcomings quickly become political questions. Vasseur renewed his contract last year and remains tied to the team under a long-term agreement, but the lack of progress has reopened scrutiny over whether Ferrari possesses the leadership structure required to respond.
There is no clear alternative waiting to replace him. Antonello Coletta, who heads Ferrari’s successful endurance programme, has previously been mentioned as a possible candidate. However, managing a factory operation in the World Endurance Championship differs substantially from leading a Formula 1 team, and Coletta has shown no public interest in changing roles.
Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has also been linked with Ferrari. Company chairman John Elkann has long admired Horner’s work, but there is currently no indication that an appointment is under consideration.
Hamilton described as increasingly isolated
The questions surrounding Vasseur have been accompanied by claims about Hamilton’s integration into Ferrari. Terruzzi described the seven-time world champion as appearing to form a “separate republic” within the organisation — an expression suggesting that Hamilton and the personnel closest to him are operating at a distance from the team’s broader structure.
The suggestion follows a report from Corriere della Sera alleging that Hamilton had pushed for members of Ferrari’s trackside technical operation to be replaced.
Hamilton subsequently denied asking Ferrari to dismiss or replace staff, insisting that his approach has been to support and empower the people around him.
The distinction matters. Hamilton has openly criticised Ferrari’s management of on-track situations involving Leclerc, particularly after their clash at Monza, but public disagreement over race management does not establish that he demanded personnel changes.
His results have nevertheless added to the tension. After retiring from the Spanish GP with a brake problem, Hamilton conceded that Mercedes and championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli had become effectively unreachable. Antonelli now holds a 101-point advantage over the Ferrari driver.
Ferrari therefore arrives at the next stage of the season with three overlapping concerns: an expanding deficit to Mercedes, questions about Vasseur’s authority and continued speculation surrounding Hamilton’s integration. None independently confirms an imminent leadership change, but together they ensure that Ferrari’s performance in Azerbaijan will be judged well beyond the stopwatch.
The 2026 F1 season resumes with the Azerbaijan GP from September 24-26.
FAQ
When is the next F1 race?
The next Formula 1 race is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, with the weekend running from Thursday, September 24 to Saturday, September 26. Unlike a conventional F1 weekend, the race takes place on Saturday.
Why is the 2026 Azerbaijan GP on Saturday?
The Azerbaijan GP takes place on Saturday, September 26, because Sunday, September 27 is Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day. The entire weekend has moved forward: FP1 and FP2 are on Thursday, while FP3 and qualifying take place on Friday.
What time does the 2026 Azerbaijan GP start?
The Azerbaijan GP starts at 15:00 local time in Baku and 12:00 UK time on Saturday, September 26. Qualifying begins at 16:00 local time and 13:00 UK on Friday.
Is Fred Vasseur leaving Ferrari?
Ferrari has not announced any plan to replace Vasseur. He signed a long-term contract extension in 2025, and the team currently has no confirmed successor.
