Ferrari is heading into its home race at Monza under a cloud of tension, and a former boss just dropped a bombshell about what’s really going on behind the scenes at Maranello. Luca di Montezemolo claims the team’s real problem isn’t Fred Vasseur.
According to the legendary ex-president, who guided Ferrari through its Michael Schumacher golden era, the French team principal is being set up as a fall guy for much deeper issues.
Speaking to an Italian outlet, di Montezemolo pointed to what he called a “leadership shortage” within the company, suggesting Vasseur is left to navigate the stormy F1 waters without a safety net above him.
The comments come hot on the heels of a bitter Dutch Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton openly slammed Ferrari’s strategy. That tension reportedly prompted a one-hour call between Vasseur and both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc the next morning.
Hamilton later softened his stance on social media, but the pressure on Vasseur has not let up—especially with the Tifosi expecting big results at Monza this weekend.
Di Montezemolo, however, isn’t buying the narrative that Vasseur is the main culprit. He recalled his own days at the helm, when he famously backed Jean Todt’s tough decisions, like ordering Rubens Barrichello to move over for Schumacher in Austria.
The Brazilian driver complained, but di Montezemolo made it clear: he worked for Ferrari, and if he didn’t like it, he could leave. That kind of top-level support, the former boss argued, is exactly what Vasseur is missing today.
“I sense Vasseur’s loneliness,” di Montezemolo said. He asked pointedly who would stand behind the team principal if he had to make an unpopular call.
With Ferrari’s home race looming and internal 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒶 simmering, one question is sticking with fans: Can Vasseur prove the critics wrong, or is he truly fighting alone?
