On Tuesday we witnessed a real upheaval of the balance within several racing teams. In a chain of events involving McLaren, Sauber and Ferrari, the Maranello team confirmed a rumour that had been circulating for some time: Frédéric Vasseur will be the new team principal from 2023.
Vasseur has a wealth of experience in Formula 1. The 64-year-old Frenchman, after a past in Formula E, arrived in motor sport's premier class in 2016, at Renault. Here he held the role of team principal, without, however, finding luck: at the end of the year, following several disagreements with team owner Cyril Abiteboul, he decided to resign.
He then joined Alfa Romeo/Sauber, where in his second year he teamed up with a rookie Charles Leclerc. The two are now reunited at Ferrari, after a tumultuous season that did not bring the Scuderia the success they hoped for, but still saw the Monegasque finish second in the World Championship. Team-mate Carlos Sainz struggled more throughout the year: despite taking his first career win at Silverstone, he finished no higher than fifth in the final standings.
Leclerc or Sainz: who will be the lead driver?
The arrival of Vasseur should bring a breath of fresh air to a team that has not won a title for a good 14 years. The Binotto management has often been criticised for indecision and a lack of firmness in the face of problems. This has also resulted in a difficult relationship with the drivers, particularly Charles Leclerc. The two, despite the Monegasque's sweet words at the team principal's farewell, were protagonists of squabbles during the last season. Vasseur, on the other hand, has known the driver for a long time and was one of the key figures in his first year in Formula 1.
In a stable where in recent years no one dared define who was the leading driver, the situation seems to be clearer than ever. From a sporting point of view, there should be no doubt that Leclerc deserves to be lead driver, but what about the balance within the team? Would Sainz accept the position of second in command after the best season of his career? The relationship between the two seemed very good during the 2022 season, with several episodes, especially in qualifying where either Sainz or Leclerc helped his teammate in times of trouble.
Vasseur, therefore, finds himself holding a hot potato not to be underestimated. In the chaos of a team that needs to be reformed and brought back to the top, he must also take this dynamic into account.
