F1 News

Martin Brundle on Fred Vassuer at Ferrari

Brundle compares this team boss to Flavio Briatore

12 June at 18:00
  • Ben Stevens

Fredric Vassuer was perhaps a surprise appointment to replace Mattia Binotto at Ferrari, when he was announced as the team's new team principal from the start of the 2023 season. Since his arrival, Ferrari seem to have turned a corner and are now consistently challenging towards the front of the grid. 

Brundle admits his worry

"I worried for Fred [Vasseur] when he went there," Brundle stated on Sky Sports F1: "Because when they were successful before, they had Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, Michael Schumacher, Rory Byrne, Luca di Montezemelo, Stefano Domenicali." 

However, in his first season as Ferrari team principal, Vassuer led them to third in the constructors, just three points behind Mercedes in second. They have already started 2024 better, taking two wins in Australia and Monaco, courtesy of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc respectively. 

Who does Vassuer remind Brundle of? 

Brundle admitted that Vassuer reminded him of his former team boss Flavio Briatore, who he drove for at Benetton.  "I’m not sure Flavio knew which was the front and which was the back of the car, he didn’t need to because he had Ross, Rory and Pat Symonds at the time to do that. Obviously, Flavio is a different character altogether and faces different challenges."

The Sky Sports pundit went further to highlight Vassuer's key feature that is making him successful at the Scuderia: "He’s just focusing on what matters and what he can have an impact on, he just sends a calmness all the way through the team."

Ferrari currently sit 49 points behind Red Bull in the constructor's standings after a disappointing Canadian Grand Prix.