Charles Leclerc and Fred Vasseur celebrate
Amidst rumours Ferrari have, or will, sign Adrian Newey, former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde has applauded Fred Vasseur’s impact as the Scuderia’s latest team boss.
At the start of last year, Vasseur became a part of the team, taking over from Mattia Binotto who had resigned. Since then, Vasseur has been diligently implementing various changes.
‘What he has done for Ferrari in recent years is very impressive’
From overhauling Ferrari’s strategy department with Ravin Jain taking charge and Inaki Rueda moving to a factory role under Vasseur’s watch Ferrari also said farewell to Laurent Mekies while welcoming key Mercedes personnel.
Lewis Hamilton, a name among those listed, is set to depart from Mercedes by the conclusion of the current season in order to join Ferrari. In October, Loïc Serra will assume the position of Head of Chassis Performance Engineering.
However, Vasseur is anticipated to make further signings.
According to reports, although denied by Newey’s manager Eddie Jordan, Ferrari will count design guru Adrian Newey amongst their ranks next season after the design legend announced he’d be leaving Red Bull in early 2025.
Former F1 driver van der Garde considers Newey as one of Vasseur’s important signings, although Newey himself has not confirmed his move to Ferrari.
Van der Garde expressed his admiration for the remarkable achievements made by him for Ferrari in the past years, during an interview with Viaplay.
“He has strategically placed various individuals, including connecting another engineer to Leclerc, resulting in an immediate victory.”
“He has successfully drawn in other individuals to join the team, including the esteemed Adrian Newey.”
“He has recruited individuals such as Loïc Serra from Mercedes, who possesses exceptional skills. It is evident that the team is undergoing a notable transformation towards greater professionalism, thanks to his adept placement of the right personnel in the appropriate roles.”
“They are steadily progressing, and let’s not overlook their victory in a race with both drivers this year.”
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His colleague, Mike Hezemans, attributes it to the culture that Vasseur is instilling within Ferrari.
“It’s important to note that good people play a crucial role in shaping a positive culture and strategy, but it’s a process that requires time,” he explained. “Contrary to popular belief, simply assembling a group of talented individuals tomorrow to start a Formula 1 team won’t guarantee immediate success.”
During my conversation with Mike Krack in Miami, he mentioned that our issue arose when we had an unexpected influx of 160 individuals who struggled to effectively communicate with one another. He emphasized that it will require some time before we can regain that level of cohesion.
Van der Garde concurs, stating, “Fred possesses a remarkable down-to-earth personality. During our time together in Formula 3, I found him to be incredibly laid-back, calm, and highly analytical. He has a unique ability to effectively manage and position individuals within a team.”
“He has already completed the entire process, commencing with the formation of his own team, ART Grand Prix, and subsequently transitioning to Renault. Following his stint at Sauber, he has presently found himself at Ferrari.”
“He is undoubtedly the perfect fit for Ferrari, as evident by the people flocking to him.”
This season, Ferrari emerged victorious in two races – Carlos Sainz claimed victory in Australia while Charles Leclerc secured a win in Monaco.
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