Italian journalists’ union hit back at Fred Vasseur over Ferrari rumour criticism.
The Italian Automotive Journalists’ Union [UIGA] has responded to Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur after the Frenchman launched a scathing attack on the country’s media, which has speculated about his future at the Formula 1 giants.
19 Jun 2025
Olivia Carbone
Motorsport Week

The response of the Italian media isn’t late in arriving. In recent hours, the UIGA published a statement in which, without naming Vasseur, made its feelings clear. “In recent days, some statements coming from the motorsport world have shed important light on a situation that concerns us closely: the role and the responsibility of the sport information, in particular when it moves near delicate areas as those of the internal dynamics of a team or a society,” it read.

“A famous team principal of an Italian team has expressed concern about the diffusion, from a part of the press, of unconfirmed news regarding possible changes at the top of the technical area, considered harmful for the team’s internal weather. In detail, he underlined how some rumours, regarding leading figures coming from the competitors’ teams, can create insecurity among the workers and fuel tensions that make it even more difficult to achieve ambitious sporting goals.”

“UIGA retains the necessity to reaffirm a simple and fundamental principle: sport journalism, like every form of professional information, must always be inspired by fairness, verification of facts, and awareness of the context in which it operates. No pressure, direct or indirect, can or should restrict freedom of the press. But this freedom is all the more valuable when it’s accompanied by a full assumption of responsibility.”

‘Italian journalists’ union hit back’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...urs-criticism/


Ferrari plummets and Italian media are 'crazy': 'Vasseur is to blame'
19 Jun 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Frederic Vasseur's tenure at Ferrari may well be at risk with the Austrian and British Grand Prix being of great importance to prolonging his stay at the Scuderia, according to former Ferrari man. Durng The Race's podcast Roberto Boccafogli, former communications consultant at Ferrari highlighted the significance Ferrari bears for Italy, and saw this as the origins behind the national media's attitude shift in the respects of the team led by Vasseur.

“The problem is that there is no answer. There is no answer because Fred is not used to explaining things, because he feels he doesn’t need to explain. It is not his job, it isn’t his duty. I mean, he doesn’t feel he’s in the position when somebody [asks, to] help to explain something, because there is a lot of requests about the real positions and the real answers and [they're] not being given. In the last month, there was something so controversial between his words and the drivers’ words, and the situation got very, very, very stiff, now very stiff. Then he got very nervous, because he got to the point on Friday [in Canada] to say, with this kind of press, 'Ferrari will never win.' And this makes everybody crazy.'"

When faced with the rumours, Vasseur then attacked the media, something Boccafogli disagrees with. “I mean, so it is our problem? The problem is coming from the media? The media say, not me, because there are people on the paper saying [it's] the media responsible for the Ferrari crisis? Come on. Then in this big situation, everybody started asking, is the company still supporting Fred and this Scuderia and the team as they were supporting them, three, four, five months ago?"

“And this makes everybody crazy";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/ferra...ur-is-to-blame


Fred Vasseur hints Italian media scrutiny contributing to Ferrari F1 title drought
14 Jun 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

“I can understand their reaction because we are working on it day per day,” Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur told media including Motorsport Week. “We are working to reach a target and we are working all together. It’s not about me. Again, I think I knew before. I knew perfectly that I’m exposed. The issue is not the Team Principal, that’s because we are fully aware.”

“I think the issue in this kind of situation is more the people of the team. And this is affecting me much more than my own position. You know what I mean? At one stage, we have to consider that the people who are in every single team of the grid, they are working all very hard. They are putting all of their energy. Sometimes they are doing some sacrifice for the family and so on, and to put names like this on the paper, I think it’s very, very harsh. You have to understand that when a journalist is saying that Ferrari will recruit this name for this position, there is someone who is in this position.”

“And Sunday evening, the guy says, ‘OK, tomorrow morning I won’t have a job anymore because what is in the newspaper is true that I will have someone in my position.’ And it’s the same for all the groups working for the guy, and we are in this situation on a daily basis now in Italy, and too much is too much. Honestly, if they want to be successful at one stage, we also have to be able to work in a clean environment. And we are not in this situation so far.”

‘Italian media scrutiny contributing to Ferrari F1 title drought’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...title-drought/


Vasseur's fury: Ferrari boss slams 'stupid' Italian media rumors
13 Jun 2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

Defending His Team’s Families: Vasseur was particularly incensed by the media’s cavalier treatment of his staff, emphasizing the human cost of their reporting. When asked if such scrutiny was simply part of being Ferrari’s boss, he dismissed the notion that it justified the attacks. “No, but to be the Team Principal, I knew when I joined, when I took the position that you are exposed, this I think it’s quite easy to manage,” he said. “It’s more for the people of the team.”

“They are working very hard, to decide one day that this one will be replaced, this one will be replaced, this one is useless. Honestly, it’s very, very harsh because these journalists, I’m not putting everybody in the same basket, but they have to consider that these people, they have family, they have wives, they have kids, and this is completely unrespectful.”

“Now I don’t want to speak anymore about this stupid.” His blunt dismissal of the topic signaled a man fed up with defending against what he sees as malicious fiction.

‘Vasseur's fury’;

https://f1i.com/news/541371-vasseurs...ia-rumors.html


Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur slams Italian media over treatment of team following speculation over his future
Frederic Vasseur hit out at the Italian media following reports earlier this week that his position as Ferrari team principal is under threat
13 June 2025
Sky Sports

Vasseur said: "It's some of the Italian media, not all of the Italian media. It's not about myself because this I can manage, it's more the people of the team. To use their name like this is disrespectful to them and their family.”

"I don't understand the target. Perhaps it's to give **** to the team. In this case, I don't see the point. Perhaps for them (publications) it's the only way to exist. This is probably more the reason.”

"But it still hurts the team. At one stage it's a lack of focus. When you're fighting for the championship, every single detail makes a difference. From the beginning of the weekend we have just been speaking about this. If it's their target to put the team in this situation, they have reached their goal.”

“Perhaps it's to give **** to the team”;

https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12...ver-his-future


Lewis Hamilton Slams Italian Media Speculation On Ferrari And Fred Vasseur
Lewis Hamilton on Thursday slammed Italian media speculation that Ferrari are poised to dismiss team boss Fred Vasseur and that he is considering his future...
June 13, 2025
Agence France-Presse
NDTV.com

Lewis Hamilton: "I'm here for several years. I'm here for the long haul so there's no question about where my head's at and what I'm working towards achieving with this team. There are zero doubts so, please, stop making up stuff."

Hamilton (also) said: "I was made aware of this just before I got here so I've not read the stories and it's definitely not nice to hear that there are stories like that out there. Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred's the main reason I'm in this team and I got the opportunity to be here, for which I'm forever grateful, and we're in this together.”

"We're working hard in the background. Things aren't perfect, but for me, as I've said, I'm here to work with the team, but also with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top. So this, ultimately, is nonsense what people have written."

‘Lewis Hamilton slammed Italian media speculation’;

https://sports.ndtv.com/formula-1/le...asseur-8654510