"We've a clear target, a clear goal": Frederic Vasseur compares Ferrari rebuild to Christian Horner's Red Bull rise

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur delivered his verdict on Ferrari and hinted that he would need time to work on the team, taking examples from other teams in the past. Vasseur has been serving as the team principal since the 2023 season. Although he brought the Scuderia quite close to a championship in 2024, the team ultimately finished in second place.

2008 was the last time the Italian squad picked up a Formula 1 championship. Since then, Ferrari has been battling but has only managed to finish in second and third place, sometimes, worse. The team has undergone significant changes, with many replacements to team principals as well, but there has been no improvement in the end result.

However, that is where the issues lie. Fred Vasseur believes that a team needs stability and time. He mentioned that even Christian Horner needed some time to bring Red Bull to the top, and so was the case with Ferrari and Jean Todt back in the 90s.

"I’m really convinced that it takes time," he said (via RaceFans). "It takes time not just at Ferrari, but everywhere."

"If you look at any good story in F1 – when Christian [Horner] joined Red Bull or Jean joined Ferrari before – all these good success stories took time before the first win. Also because that resource system in the paddock, you need a couple of years to build up a team, to accrue people that you want to have with you. And then it also takes time to work together."

Vasseur further mentioned that the team has a definitive plan, and everyone in the crew is working towards the same.

"We want to be very agile in Formula 1, but the reality is that we have a lot of inertia. We are pushing for this. We have a clear target, a clear goal. Everybody in the company is aligned in this project and pushing in the same direction. This is probably the best feeling, when you have a goal and everybody is convinced we can achieve it," Vasseur added.

Although Ferrari has performed rather poorly this year, the team was quite competitive in 2024. In fact, Ferrari lost out on the Constructors' Championship by a very small margin in the final race.

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Ferrari's Fred Vasseur gains appreciation from rival team boss

As mentioned, Ferrari hasn't performed well this season so far. 14 rounds in, the team still remains without a victory, and only Charles Leclerc has managed to make the podium. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, has been struggling with the car so far in the season, and there seems to be no improvement.

Considering the condition the team is in, rumors floated around the F1 Paddock that Fred Vasseur might be replaced at the end of the season. This, however, was proven wrong as his contract was extended shortly after.

Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff, backed his friend Vasseur on this. He mentioned that any other decision would have been "stupid" from Ferrari, considering the competitiveness he brings to the table.

"Any other choice would have been really stupid," Wolff said. "I’ve known Fred since we were in our twenties, and I know how valuable he is as a motorsport man, I know his entrepreneurial vision and strength."

He added:

"Having someone like him on your team is a privilege, and we must remember how long it takes to build a successful project in F1."

Despite Ferrari's struggles, the team remains second in the Constructors' Championship. However, the Scuderia could be in threat from Mercedes in the coming races. Meanwhile, McLaren enjoys an easy lead at the top of the table.