Frederic Vasseur confirmed as Ferrari team principal in F1 leadership shake-up

Frederic Vasseur has been confirmed as the new head of Ferrari’s Formula One team, two weeks after Mattia Binotto stood down.

Frenchman Vasseur moves to the Scuderia as team principal and general manager after five years as in charge of the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo team, following a fortnight of speculation linking him to the top job.

Vasseur’s move marked a frantic period of movement among F1’s high-ranking personnel more reminiscent of the driver market’s so-called ‘silly season’.

On the same day, McLaren’s Andreas Seidl was confirmed as the Sauber Group’s new CEO, with racing director Andrea Stella his replacement at the Woking-based team. Less than 24 hours earlier, Williams team principal and CEO Jost Capito resigned after two seasons.

Vasseur will become Ferrari’s fourth team principal since 2014 and is charged with turning around the team’s on-track fortunes after a promising but ultimately disappointing year.

For the first time since 2018 Ferrari had a championship contending car but failed to deliver. A legion of errors from their drivers, their strategists and operationally meant they finished the season second, 205 points adrift of Red Bull in the constructors’ standings. Charles Leclerc's title bid petered out by summer.

In his time at Sauber/Alfa Romeo, Vasseur helped turn the team into a competitive midfield force again after an uncertain competitive and financial future. In 2022 they finished sixth in the standings, their best finish for a decade. Vasseur's appointment means he will again join forces with Leclerc, who drove for the Swiss-based team in his debut F1 season in 2018.

"I am truly delighted and honoured to take over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as team principal,” Vasseur said in a statement.

"As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me.”

Meanwhile, Seidl’s move from McLaren to Sauber as CEO – another Alfa Romeo team principal will be appointed – comes as the team transitions to become Audi’s F1 entry in 2026. Audi will buy into the Hinwil-based team in the meantime, but the exact size of the stake has not been confirmed.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown revealed that Seidl had informed him during the 2022 season that he intended to leave the team when his contract expired at the end of 2025, with it “quite clear” that the destination would be Audi.

This process, though, was expedited with Vasseur's likely move to Ferrari.

“When it became clear that Fred was going to go to Ferrari, Finn Rausing [Sauber co-owner]… gave me a call to see if there was a discussion to be had to potentially release Andreas early,” Brown said.

“My reaction was that if Andrea [Stella] would be happy to join as team principal then I’d be very happy to make that change now.”

Stella, who previously worked at Ferrari and accepted the role without being informed of Seidl’s plans, was “always our number one choice” according to Brown.

Seidl’s is a sensible man to lead the team in this period, with Audi welcoming their “future partner’s” appointment.

The 46-year-old German previously worked as an engineer for Sauber-BMW and lived in Hinwil for four years. He then went on to manage BMW in DTM and was Porsche director of race operations in the World Endurance Championship.

Since Seidl’s arrival at McLaren, the team have worked their way back towards the front of the pack with nine podiums, one victory and a best season finish of third in 2020.

The latest developments leave Alfa Romeo and Williams without team principals for 2023. German Capito – along with technical director FX Demaison – departs Williams after a mixed couple of seasons following the family-owned team being sold to Dorilton Capital towards the end of 2020.

2021 was Williams’ best year since 2017, with a podium and 23 points but in 2022 they were once again comfortably the slowest team, finishing 10th and last with just eight points.