News Summary
- Frédéric Vasseur says repeated rumours are placing Ferrari in an increasingly difficult position
- Reports of internal tension intensified after claims Lewis Hamilton wanted members of the team replaced
- Vasseur insists Ferrari must remain focused on performance rather than react to every external narrative
Frédéric Vasseur has criticised the stream of rumours surrounding Ferrari, arguing that repeated reports of internal tension are putting the Formula 1 team “in a corner.”
The Ferrari team principal addressed the subject amid renewed scrutiny over the management structure at Maranello and the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and senior personnel.
Vasseur believes certain stories force Ferrari into an uncomfortable position: answering every claim risks giving it greater credibility, while remaining silent can be interpreted as confirmation.
“Certain rumours put the team in a corner,” Vasseur said.
The latest controversy followed reports in the Italian media suggesting Hamilton had asked Ferrari to replace members of its technical and operational staff. The seven-time world champion publicly rejected those claims, insisting he had never demanded anyone’s dismissal.
Hamilton explained that his recommendations were intended to improve Ferrari’s working methods rather than determine who should remain employed. He also defended the people working at Maranello and stressed that organisational decisions belong to the team.
The driver had already denied asking Ferrari to replace staff before the Azerbaijan GP weekend.
For Vasseur, the wider problem is that speculation can rapidly become accepted as fact around Ferrari. The Italian team attracts greater domestic and international attention than most of its rivals, making every difficult result, radio message or internal adjustment a potential source of crisis stories.
That attention also creates a difficult balance. Ferrari must be capable of questioning its own performance without allowing legitimate internal debate to be presented as evidence of instability.
The team has made changes during Hamilton’s time at Maranello, but restructuring is not unusual during the development of a new technical programme. Ferrari’s chassis department is led by Loïc Serra, while Enrico Gualtieri remains responsible for the power-unit operation.
Vasseur’s response does not mean Ferrari is satisfied with every aspect of its performance. Instead, his argument is that improvement requires clear internal analysis—not decisions driven by outside pressure.
On track, Charles Leclerc qualified second for the Azerbaijan GP, although George Russell’s pole lap was 0.837s faster. Hamilton ended the session sixth, 1.332s away from the Mercedes driver.
The result gave Ferrari a valuable front-row starting position but also underlined the performance gap it must address. Separating that technical reality from the constant noise surrounding the team is precisely the challenge Vasseur wants Ferrari to manage better.
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F1 today: FAQ
What time does the 2026 Azerbaijan GP start?
The race starts on Saturday, September 26, at 12:00 UK time. It begins at 07:00 ET and 04:00 PT in the US, 16:30 in India and 21:00 AEST in eastern Australia.
Who starts on pole for the Azerbaijan GP?
George Russell starts from pole for Mercedes, ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri. Isack Hadjar qualified fourth, followed by Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
Why is the Azerbaijan GP being held on Saturday?
The race was moved to Saturday because Sunday, September 27, is Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day, a national day of mourning. The entire F1 weekend was brought forward by one day.
What did Frédéric Vasseur say about the Ferrari rumours?
Vasseur said certain reports were putting Ferrari “in a corner”, because responding can amplify speculation while silence may be treated as confirmation.
