"Fred Vasseur doesn't have the power at Ferrari that someone like Jean Todt had": Former F1 driver lays bare the problems at the Italian team

Former F1 driver Jean Alesi claimed that Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur did not have the same power as Jean Todt during the 90s and 2000s. The Frenchman joined the Italian team at the beginning of the 2023 season after he left his role as team principal and CEO of Alfa Romeo.

The 57-year-old was tasked with the role of bringing back the glory to Maranello and making them a championship-winning team. Although Vasseur has succeeded in several critical areas and made the Prancing Horses a well-rounded outfit, he has failed to bring the title thus far.

In his two years at the helm, Ferrari has finished P3 and P2 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, and even came agonizingly close to winning the Constructors' championship last year. Despite massive car changes and bringing big names like Lewis Hamilton to the team, it has been a disappointing start to the 2025 season.

Speaking with La Stampa, Alesi spoke about Fred Vasseur's lack of authority within the team compared to Todt's full control, saying:

“Vasseur doesn't have the power that someone like Jean Todt had. The difficulties are not in his choices, but in some people inside Ferrari who today want to command and are not competent. I think Lewis can soon return to the levels, it's a matter of adapting well to the car.”

Under Jean Todt, the Italian team won six consecutive Constructors' championships from the period of 1999 to 2005.

Ferrari team principal previews the 2025 Canadian GP

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur stated that they, as a team, were confident heading into Montreal, given their run of successive podiums in the last races.

As per PitPass, the Frenchman said ahead of the Canadian GP:

"We have worked with the maximum commitment within the team in Maranello to best prepare for the Canadian Grand Prix, which takes place on a very different track compared to the ones we've raced on recently. We are coming off a series of races in which we have made progress both in terms of performance and execution, especially on Sundays.

"We want to keep going in this direction by maximizing our result in Montreal as well, bringing home the best possible points haul."

Ferrari has made a step up in performance compared to Red Bull and Mercedes in the last couple of races and, due to their consistent results, sits in P2 in the Constructors' championship.

However, apart from some flashes of pace, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have struggled to get to grips with the car and have complained of balance issues almost every weekend. With no upgrade package on the horizon, both driver would have to continue to maximize their race results and fight for podiums against their rivals.