Scuderia Ferrari has confirmed that Fred Vasseur has signed a multi‑year extension to remain as Team Principal, settling a swirl of speculation over his future. The renewed deal, officially announced by Ferrari today, underlines the Italian outfit’s confidence in his leadership as it prepares for the pivotal 2026 regulation overhaul.
Vasseur, who assumed the helm at Ferrari at the start of the 2023 season, has already steered the team through a period of significant transition.
His tenure has yielded six Grand Prix victories—three under Carlos Sainz and three under Charles Leclerc—and came agonisingly close to clinching the Constructors’ Championship in 2024, when Ferrari fell just 14 points short of McLaren.
Despite the strong finish last year, the 2025 campaign has proven difficult. Ferrari is yet to register a race win this season, while McLaren has surged ahead as the dominant force.
Mounting results pressure and persistent media speculation—especially rumours about a potential switch to Christian Horner—had raised questions about whether Vasseur’s contract would be renewed beyond its December 2025 expiry.
In a measured statement, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna framed the decision not as a reaction to headlines but as a strategic reaffirmation of long‑term goals. “Today we want to recognise what has been built and commit to what still needs to be achieved,” he said. “It reflects our trust in Fred’s leadership — a trust rooted in shared ambition, mutual expectations and clear responsibility. We move forward with determination and focus, united in our pursuit of the level of performance Ferrari has to aim for.”
Vasseur himself accepted the challenge with typical composure. “I’m grateful for the trust Ferrari continues to place in me. This renewal is not just a confirmation — it’s a challenge to keep progressing, to stay focused, and to deliver,” he said. “Over the past 30 months, we’ve laid strong foundations, and now we must build on them with consistency and determination. We know what’s expected, and we’re all fully committed to meeting those expectations and taking the next step forward together.”
Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the team’s current driver lineup, have openly supported Vasseur’s continued leadership. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this season in a blockbuster move from Mercedes, was particularly emphatic.
“I love working with Fred. Fred’s the main reason I’m in this team and I got the opportunity to be here – for which I’m forever grateful,” said Hamilton. “I’m here to work with the team and with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top, and so that’s that.”
Carlos Sainz, who raced under Vasseur in 2023 and 2024 before departing the team, offered a more pragmatic take on the timing of the announcement. “I didn’t even know he needed a renewal or anything,” Sainz admitted. “I think, from the outside, it just looks like they want to cancel the noise. Like always in Ferrari, there’s so much noise and you almost need to announce that you’re extending or staying for people not to create a rumour. It’s always been the case like that over there. But I’m happy for Fred because I’m sure he will keep doing a good job.”
Insiders at Maranello have suggested that this move was as much about ending the rumours as it was about securing leadership stability. The extension is believed to run at least through the end of 2027.
It also sends a strong message that Ferrari is placing faith in continuity and rejecting outside pressure to change course, particularly the growing narrative around potentially recruiting Christian Horner from Red Bull.
Vasseur inherited a team in flux when he replaced Mattia Binotto in December 2022. Since then, he has worked to instil a renewed focus on structure, performance, and long-term planning.
Under his leadership, Ferrari returned to consistent podium contention and very nearly won the Constructors’ Championship in 2024.
But now the stakes rise even higher. Ferrari hasn’t won a Constructors’ title since 2008, nor a Drivers’ title since Kimi Räikkönen’s triumph in 2007. With McLaren’s current dominance and Red Bull remaining a force to be reckoned with, the challenge to restore Ferrari’s former glory remains formidable.