FERRARI BOSS QUIZZED ON ‘LESS HOSTILE’ MANAGEMENT STYLE COMPARED TO F1 RIVALS IN RECRUITMENT DRIVE

Fred Vasseur was asked if his apparent ‘friendlier’ demeanour compared to his fellow team principals has had an impact in helping bring people to Ferrari moving forward.

While he did not feel in too much of a position to comment on that assertion, he explained that the Scuderia remain very much on a recruitment drive as they look for their first World Championship since the 2008 Constructors’ title.

Ferrari boss asked about management style role in Scuderia recruitment drive

Vasseur is well-known in his interviews for letting out a laugh or two on occasion, and has been praised for his management style beforehand – with Lewis Hamilton having remained close with him since their partnership through ART Grand Prix in his junior career, which will resume at Ferrari next season.

While every manager has their own style and way of working, Vasseur explained that he does not want to “fight with my colleagues” as a way of trying to operate a team.

And it was put to him over the weekend that this might have a role in the success he has had in recruiting high-profile names in his time as team principal so far.

When asked about his management style compared to his rival team principals in Miami and whether or not that will help him bring success when Hamilton arrives at the team next season, Vasseur replied with a laugh: “You have to ask the question to the people of the company if the management is friendly or not!

“But no, I don’t want to lose energy for the wrong topic, I think we have a lot to do internally.

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“We have to improve, we have to recruit, we have to develop the car – we have a huge amount of work on the table, and I don’t want to lose my energy, my time in my budget to fight with my colleagues, that is not my approach at all.”

In addition, when it was put to him that staff from Mercedes were reported to be interviewing for positions with the Scuderia moving forward, he responded with another big laugh: “A lot of people from all the teams are doing a lot of interviews in Maranello – including Mercedes.”

Adrian Newey’s name has been repeatedly linked with Ferrari since the announcement he would be leaving Red Bull, but Vasseur would not be goaded into an answer as to whether or not he would be approaching the design great.

Moreover, when asked, even theoretically, what he would bring to any team on the grid, the Ferrari team boss would not be moved.

He replied: “Theoretically, no, I have no [answer] to do on this because I know that you will be able to write pages on the two words that I could say there.”

2024-05-10T16:44:13Z dg43tfdfdgfd