Ferrari CEO rages at Fred Vasseur for friendship with Toto Wolff, while “worried” Charles Leclerc demands crisis talks

Fred Vasseur is reportedly in trouble with the Ferrari CEO due to his decision to travel to the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix with his friend Toto Wolff. “Worried” Charles Leclerc demands crisis talks.

The principals of the Ferrari and Mercedes teams have been friendly for some time, and they shared a flight to Bahrain before meeting in Wolff’s team’s motorhome after qualifying.

Corriere della Sera reports that Benedetto Vigna, the Ferrari CEO who hired Vasseur as Mattia Binotto’s replacement this winter, is not impressed by his coziness with Wolff.
One race into 2023, Ferrari’s problems get worse.

After retiring from the Bahrain GP, which appeared to be a return for the team’s reliability issues, Charles Leclerc demanded a crisis meeting with Ferrari president John Elkann at Maranello.

According to Gazzetta, despite the close relationship between Leclerc and Elkann, the driver was “evidently worried.”

According to the report, “the atmosphere is tense” at the Scuderia factory in Italy.

In his first big meeting, new team principal Vasseur urged employees to stay together despite a bad start to 2023.

Indeed, even before the unfortunate race in Bahrain, issues were “unsettling the group”, Corriere report.
Ferrari had made aggressive expectations for the season in view of their air stream and test system information yet wound up changing Leclerc’s energy supply before the initial race, before their star driver neglected to wrap up.
According to the newspaper, there may be a “technical vacuum” between Binotto and Vasseur’s reigns, which means that the SF-23 is muddled between ideas.

David Sanchez reportedly resigned from his position as head of concept as a result of the “climate of uncertainty and fear” created by CEO Vigna.

After his position as Head of Strategy was downgraded, Inaki Rueda may also leave. Jonathan Giacobazzi and Gino Rosato have already left. Additionally, racing director Laurent Mekies accepted an F1 position, but Vasseur prevented him from leaving.

Corriere claims that despite these issues, Vasseur is still in a “strong position” due to Ferrari’s lack of success since winning their last drivers’ championship in 2007 and the revolving door of team principals.

At this weekend’s Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be hoping for better luck.