Ferrari star Charles Leclerc has been full of praise for team principal Fred Vasseur, following his contract extension with the team.
The French boss put pen to paper on a brand new “multi-year” deal with the Scuderia, sealing his future with them.
It came following rumours surrounding a potential replacement, as the summer break fast approaches and teams consider making changes.
While there have been tough moments for Ferrari to take on board so far this season, it appears as though the hierarchy is fully behind Fred Vasseur and the direction he is taking the team in.
Some of that is reflected by Charles Leclerc, who has been full of praise for his team principal after the news broke.
Charles Leclerc praises Fred Vasseur’s analytical approach at Ferrari
Charles Leclerc celebrated Fred Vasseur for his ‘clear vision’ at Ferrari, after it was announced that the Frenchman signed a multi-year contract, extending his tenure as team principal.
When asked in the press conference ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix what Vasseur has changed at Ferrari since coming in at the beginning of 2023, Leclerc said: “I think what’s difficult with Ferrari is [that] the emotion is very much a part of the daily job…that’s what makes Ferrari so special.”
“He [Vasseur] has many more qualities,” said Leclerc, “one of them is also to extract the maximum out of every single person at the factory, and when you put everything together, it makes a big difference.”
Vasseur has done well to consistently battle teams like Red Bull and Mercedes
Vasseur led the team to the top three of the constructors’ championship in 2023 and 2024, and is set to defend second position this season from teams like Red Bull and Mercedes.
But with suboptimal results at races like Canada, where numerous strategic and driver errors prevented the team from scoring a podium, Ferrari’s hold on P2 in the table is under threat.
This resulted in multiple rumours in Italian media that Ferrari were looking to replace the Frenchman with someone else.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Ferrari have done that; they’ve had six team principals in the last three decades.
Thirty months into Vasseur’s role as team principal, and it seems as if Ferrari are on the cusp of unlocking the full potential of their drivers and the latest upgrades.
The 57-year-old has been working extensively to restore Ferrari to its former glory, which includes the highly anticipated signing of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who brings a wealth of experience and success.
Partnered with Leclerc, Vasseur could have the bragging rights to say he has the most talented lineup on the grid.
However, the 2025 season has not gone the way of either Hamilton or Leclerc. Halfway into the season, the Scuderia sit P2 in the constructors’ standings, just 28 points ahead of Mercedes.
| Position | Drivers' Championship | Points |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | 266 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | 250 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | 185 |
| 4 | George Russell | 157 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 139 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | 109 |
| 7 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | 63 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | 54 |
Vasseur has his work cut out
Ferrari are also the only team in the top four of the table that have yet to win a Grand Prix, despite Leclerc claiming four podium finishes in the last six races.
Meanwhile, Hamilton has failed to reach the podium at all in a Grand Prix, even after winning the Sprint in Shanghai in Round 2.
Vasseur’s move also comes after the uncertainty about whether former Red Bull boss Christian Horner will take up another position within F1’s paddock, potentially at Ferrari.
The Ferrari team principal’s extension swiftly put those rumours to bed.
Leclerc said: “In the past few months, there were quite a few rumours, which is always the case around the team; to have the official news out is important.”
Leclerc will be eager to prove himself at this year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, a race he hasn’t necessarily done well at.
With his best finishing position being fourth place, the Monegasque will undoubtedly want to improve that statistic. Hamilton will also want to bounce back after a difficult outing in Belgium, placing seventh.