Vasseur: Drivers' criticism is essential for Ferrari's improvement

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has stated he would be "destroyed" if his drivers praised the team's performance, framing their consistent criticism as a necessary and positive force for improvement after a challenging 2025 campaign. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton endured a frustrating season, with Hamilton failing to score a single podium for the first time in his career and both drivers frequently appearing downbeat in media sessions.

Why it matters:

In a season where Ferrari failed to meet expectations, Vasseur's comments reframe driver frustration from a sign of internal discord to a crucial component of the team's development culture. His perspective highlights a leadership approach that values relentless pursuit of improvement over comfort, especially critical as Ferrari aims to rebuild with its high-profile driver lineup.

The details:

• Vasseur explicitly stated that driver satisfaction would concern him: "I would be destroyed if I had the drivers telling me that we are doing a good job. The summary of the season for a driver is to find where we can improve."
• He emphasized that pushing the team is embedded in the drivers'—and his own—DNA, and that both Leclerc and Hamilton are expected to challenge the team "on every single area."
• The team principal downplayed emotional post-session reactions from drivers, stating he doesn't pay significant attention to comments made in the "TV pen" moments after exiting the car, focusing instead on the structured feedback delivered in engineering debriefs.
• Regarding Hamilton's reported "unbearable amount of anger and rage," Vasseur indicated understanding, attributing it to the raw emotion following a disappointing session before proper analysis.
• On Leclerc's frequent criticism, Vasseur noted it's a long-standing trait, saying, "I've known Charles for 15 or 16 years, and he was always like this. I accept this perfectly," framing it as a "positive dynamic."

The big picture:

Vasseur's stance serves as a public management of narratives surrounding a tough season. By normalizing and even welcoming driver discontent, he aims to project a unified, hard-nosed working environment focused solely on performance. This comes amid external rumors, like those cited by Juan Pablo Montoya, suggesting Hamilton's feedback wasn't being heeded—a perception Vasseur's comments directly counter by portraying the drivers as central to the development process.

What's next:

The true test of this philosophy will be whether the critical feedback from Leclerc and Hamilton translates into tangible performance gains for the SF-26. Vasseur has set an expectation where driver satisfaction is synonymous with success on track; until that success arrives, the criticism is not just expected but required.