Fred Vasseur refuses to slam Red Bull after Lawson’s axe, urging caution before judging what really happens behind closed garage doors.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has chosen not to criticize Red Bull for dropping Liam Lawson after just two Formula 1 races, saying it’s impossible to understand the inner workings of a rival team from the outside.
Now at the helm of Ferrari, Vasseur is well-respected for his work developing young talent—having helped shape the careers of drivers like Lewis Hamilton. But when asked if he would ever drop a driver after only two Grands Prix, the Frenchman offered a cautious response.
“This is a very Red Bull-style situation,” Vasseur told L’Équipe. “But you really can’t imagine how hard it is to judge what goes on within a team.”
“We don’t know the details behind their decision. There could be a thousand reasons for it—things only the team and the driver are aware of. And sometimes, not even the driver knows everything.”
Vasseur continued, “So I’d rather not comment. Yes, it may seem harsh to make a call like that after two races. But we probably have less than 10% of the full picture, so it’s better not to judge.”
“I hate it when people try to judge us without knowing the facts—so I’m not going to do the same to others.”
Behind the scenes, Vasseur might actually be grateful that Red Bull’s driver drama took some attention off Ferrari following the Chinese Grand Prix, where both red cars were disqualified for technical violations.
Vasseur admitted the team was too “aggressive” with car setup choices, particularly concerning the wear and weight of the floor. But former F1 driver René Arnoux came to Ferrari’s defense.
Ferrari Denies Cheating as Vasseur Defends Leclerc Role
“Ferrari wasn’t trying to cheat,” Arnoux told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I completely reject that idea. If Leclerc’s car had been underweight by ten kilos, or if Hamilton had been caught with a clear-cut infringement, then sure—we’d be right to question it. But this was more of a technical grey area.”
Others, however, have criticized Ferrari for overhyping Lewis Hamilton’s upcoming arrival, only to underdeliver.
“People say, ‘Oh, you made so much noise about Lewis this winter’—but that wasn’t us,” Vasseur countered. “That was the media. We took one photo. No interviews. We didn’t even do a proper launch event in Maranello.”
One side-effect of the Hamilton buzz is that Charles Leclerc has been somewhat pushed into the background.
“He’s definitely out of the spotlight a bit,” Vasseur admitted. “But that gives him more time—for himself, for his engineers. That can actually be a good thing.”
“There may be some frustration or even a little jealousy, sure—but Charles is smart enough to understand the bigger picture. He knows this is a chance to fully focus on the sporting goal.”
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Vasseur: Too Soon to Judge Red Bull’s Call on Lawson Exit
Vasseur: Too Soon to Judge Red Bull’s Call on Lawson Exit
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