Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, has been quite vocal about his thoughts on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc, and the swirling rumors about Leclerc possibly leaving Ferrari for Mercedes. In a recent interview with SkySport Italia, Vasseur referred to the rumors as “bull***t” and expressed confidence in his driver’s commitment to the team. So, what did Vasseur have to say about all these topics? Let’s dive in.
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Vasseur Addresses Rumors About Leclerc Leaving Ferrari
Despite Ferrari’s current struggles in converting their impressive qualifying pace into race wins, Vasseur remains confident in his team and its drivers. When asked about the rumors of Leclerc moving to Mercedes, Vasseur said, “Yes, the rumors about Charles and Mercedes are bull***t. Charles said he loves Ferrari and wants to win with Ferrari. We are at the beginning of the season, where there is much gossip we will hear every weekend, but we are not worried.”
In addition to this, Charles Leclerc himself has also denied these rumors, stating that he is committed to Ferrari and has no plans of leaving. He also expressed his belief in Vasseur’s vision for the team and his confidence in their ability to bring Ferrari back to the top.
Ferrari’s Performance in Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Vasseur was also keen to discuss the team’s performance during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where they showed significant improvement from Australia. He said, “We made a step forward with the two pole positions. Although we didn’t win today, we did much better than the other races. The team worked much better this week, and I am very happy. Red Bull always fight very hard. We managed our tyres more at the beginning of the race because we expected two pit stops.”
Leclerc’s third place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix marked Vasseur’s first podium with Ferrari, and he couldn’t be prouder of his driver. He stated, “I’m very proud of Charles this weekend. He was perfect. He pushed when we asked him to push, creating a gap with Alonso. He just made a mistake on the second lap in Q3. It wasn’t a mistake; he was already on pole, so he reached the goal.”
Comparing Ferrari’s Performance to Red Bull
It’s no secret that Red Bull has been the dominant force this season, with Ferrari and other teams struggling to keep up. Vasseur acknowledged this gap in performance, saying, “We definitely are back to where we wanted to be in terms of qualifying, but there’s still a significant gap to Red Bull in the race. However, we aim to fight them for the win and we are gearing up to do just that.”
While Ferrari has shown some improvement, it’s clear that they still have a long way to go to challenge Red Bull consistently. It will be interesting to see how the team continues to develop throughout the season and whether they can make up ground on their rivals.
Leclerc’s Future with Ferrari
Despite the rumors and speculation, it seems that both Vasseur and Leclerc are committed to Ferrari’s success. Leclerc has made it clear that he sees himself in a red racing suit and driving a red car when he dreams of becoming a world champion. He also stated that it’s too early to talk about a new contract but expressed his belief in the team and trust in everyone, from the mechanics to the team boss.
