FRED VASSEUR ENCOURAGES HAMILTON-LECLERC CRITICISM DESPITE ELKANN'S 'TALK LESS' DEMAND
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur is unfazed by public criticism from Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, calling their complaints a "positive dynamic" for improvement.
Ferrari's F1 boss, Fred Vasseur, isn't bothered by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton publicly criticizing the team, even though it annoyed John Elkann.
The 2025 season was a letdown for Ferrari. They didn't win any races and dropped to fourth in the championship, losing the 2024 title to McLaren on the last day.
Leclerc and Hamilton, who finished fifth and sixth in the driver standings, often showed their frustration in interviews. At the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton said it was a nightmare after a double DNF.
Ferrari chairman Elkann criticized this negativity, saying the drivers need to focus on driving and talk less, which sparked a lot of debate.
But Vasseur doesn't care much about what the drivers say publicly. What matters to him are the conversations behind the scenes.
"I don't care about the reaction on TV," Vasseur said after Ferrari finished fourth and eighth at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
What's most important is having someone come back to us, pushing the team to improve and work together to get better results.
They're emotional sometimes on the radio, and it depends on the person. You all know Charles. He's always a bit critical of himself, the team, and everyone, but it's always in a positive way.
I've known Charles for 10 or 16 years, and he's always been like this. He's always complaining about everything. But it's a positive thing that pushes us to do a better job.
It doesn't matter if we're P4, P3, or P1. Our DNA is to do a better job. I'm okay with this, and the most important thing is that they keep the same approach to the debriefing: to get a better car, a better team, and a better everything. That's how we'll improve.
Vasseur even said he encourages his drivers to criticize the team because that's how Ferrari will get back to the top when the new rules come in next year.
"I'd be upset if the drivers told me we were doing a good job," he added. When a driver sums up the season, it's about finding where we can improve. I don't want drivers telling me, 'We're doing a good job on this, this, and this.'
Their DNA and my DNA is to push the team to do a better job. So, Charles and Lewis need to come to us and push the team to the limit in every area. We can improve everywhere.
Last year, we were fighting until the last corner, and the reaction was the same. Charles said, ‘Okay guys, we have to improve in every area: the simulator, the setup, and the aero.’
This is their job and our sport. I'm not shocked when they come to me and say, 'Fred, we have to improve on this, this, this, this, and this,' because that's what we're asking them to do.
KIMI ANTONELLI LEADS F1; GEORGE RUSSELL DROPS TO FOURTH AFTER FRUSTRATING P4 FINISH AT SUZUKA
Kimi Antonelli leads the F1 championship! Discover why George Russell is under fire, and Max Verstappen is eyeing a Mercedes seat.
Heading into 2026, everyone had George Russell pegged as the clear favourite for the F1 drivers’ title. Now, Kimi Antonelli is the one stealing the spotlight.
Russell’s in the toughest spot of his Mercedes career, and every time his 19-year-old teammate lays down another blistering lap, the pressure ramps up.
Back-to-back wins in China and Japan haven’t just made Antonelli a real threat for the championship hey’ve totally changed the vibe in the Mercedes garage. Suddenly, everyone’s looking at Russell differently.
It’s a harsh reality. Russell’s now 28, this is his fifth season with Mercedes, and before the season, the bookies put him at the top. But things haven’t gone his way: car problems and Antonelli off to a flying start have made life as the team’s “senior driver” anything but easy.
Antonelli is leading the championship with 97 points; he’s 22 clear of Russell, and he’s won two of the season’s first three races.
The pressure on Russell goes deeper than just being outscored by his teammate. The clock’s ticking, and the spectre of Max Verstappen isn’t going away.
Antonelli’s rise has been ruthless. He’s snagged a pole in both China and Japan. Every big result just confirms what some at Mercedes are starting to admit: he looks like the future, especially since he’s so good on the tough tyre compounds.
Antonelli himself isn’t pretending he’s the finished product. After his win in Japan, where he slipped back to sixth at the start, by the way, he said his launches off the line “definitely” need work. “It’s been a weak point this year, and I need to improve that because you can easily win or lose races with that.” Still, he’s on top. After Japan, he said, “It’s too early to think about the championship, but we’re in a good way.” He’s ambitious, but grounded.
Russell, meanwhile, battled a rear suspension setup issue at Suzuka. Too much oversteer, not enough grip. Toto Wolff admitted the tweak “put the car on the nose” and hurt them on Sunday. Russell crossed the line fourth, losing more ground to Antonelli.
People are noticing the shift. Christian Danner, former F1 driver, reckons Russell’s going to fight back. Maybe he will. But as the points gap grows and each race builds Antonelli’s reputation, talk is cheap.
Here’s the wild card: Mercedes could go for Verstappen.
The four-time champ is sitting in ninth, with only 12 points after three rounds. That’s foreign territory for Max. With Red Bull floundering and upcoming 2026 rules causing headaches, he’s reportedly rethinking his future there.
Sure, Verstappen’s Red Bull contract goes through 2028. But there are performance clauses he can walk if he’s outside the top two by summer break. That’s not looking so far-fetched the way things are standing.
He’s called the new cars “fundamentally flawed.” Is he admitting he’s “seriously considering quitting Formula 1.” And last year? Mercedes and Verstappen’s people were in talks. It even held up Russell’s contract talks with Wolff.
If Verstappen comes on the market, you know Wolff’s going to take a serious look. He’s openly a fan. For Russell, that’s unsettling. If Mercedes keeps winning and Verstappen wants in, Russell’s seat isn’t safe.
Russell came to Mercedes back in 2022, expecting to be a title contender. He got his first win in São Paulo that year, and he’s been a reliable points finisher, fourth in the 2025 standings with 319 points, a personal best.
But being “reliable” doesn’t cut it when a teenager is beating you and a superstar like Verstappen could be about to knock on the door.
It’s only been three races, but Antonelli’s already ahead 2–1 in both qualifying and race results, and those two are poles and outright wins.
Wolff tried to pump up Russell before things got started, calling him “one of the best” and saying it was nice he was the bookies’ top pick. But Wolff also tipped Antonelli to step up in his second season. That’s already coming true.
Russell’s shot at a championship is getting slimmer by the week. If Antonelli keeps this up and if Verstappen’s name enters the mix, Mercedes has some massive decisions ahead.
At this point, Russell’s fighting for more than just a title. He’s fighting to prove he deserves a place at the top at all.
ZAK BROWN COMPLETES A "RED BULL HAT-TRICK" BY SIGNING GIANPIERO LAMBIASE FOR 2028
Zak Brown confirms GianPiero Lambiase joins McLaren as Chief Racing Officer. See how this impacts Red Bull and Verstappen.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has finally spoken up after landing GianPiero Lambiase as the team’s new Formula 1 Chief Racing Officer starting in 2028.
News of Lambiase’s move from Red Bull to McLaren has already got people buzzing in the paddock. And really, it’s a big deal that the reigning constructors’ champions just added another heavyweight to their ranks. First, Rob Marshall, known for his aerodynamic expertise, came on board. Then Will Courtenay, the former Head of Strategy, joined too. Now, Lambiase completes the trio.
We still don’t know exactly what Lambiase will be handling, but he’ll report to Team Principal Andrea Stella, who’s been rumoured to have caught Ferrari’s eye.
Brown couldn’t hide his excitement in his first public comments. He went on X to announce: “Happy to share that GianPiero Lambiase will join the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team as Chief Racing Officer, reporting into Team Principal Andrea Stella, when his contract ends no later than 2028. He joins an incredible team under Andrea’s leadership, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together.”
Red Bull’s statement had a totally different vibe. The team confirmed Lambiase would leave in 2028, when his contract is up, but stopped short of saying when he could head over to McLaren. “GP is a valued member of the team, who joined in 2015. Until his planned departure, GP continues in his roles as head of racing and as race engineer to Max Verstappen. The team and he are fully committed to adding more success to our strong track record together.”
Honestly, Zak Brown is shaking things up in the F1 paddock. He’s snagging Red Bull’s big names, much like Christian Horner did to Mercedes when the ground effect era started. Lambiase’s decision to join McLaren really does feel like the end of an era for Red Bull.
