Vasseur to Ferrari: 'Someone who doesn't like bullshit'

With Frederic Vasseur, there will be a new team boss at the helm of Ferrari next year. The Frenchman needs to make Mattia Binotto forget him and Giedo van der Garde thinks Vasseur is capable of doing so. According to the former Formula 1 driver, Ferrari made the right decision to choose the 54-year-old top man as its successor.

Binotto's departure

Binotto himself quit Ferrari this month after 28 years of service at the Maranello-based racing stable. The Italian has a huge track record, but internally they were reportedly not satisfied with how Ferrari performed last season. Van der Garde highly doubts whether Binotto himself decided to quit, or whether he was really directed to the exit.

"I think they gave him a choice: either we say we've thrown you out, or we do it in a nice way and you say you resigned yourself," says the Viaplay analyst to Motorsport.com know. Van der Garde calls it "obvious" that it had been known for a while that there was no place for Binotto as leader of the team in 2023.

Despite the Ferrari car being competitive, especially in the first half of the season, the gap with Red Bull eventually only widened in both world championships. Van der Garde understands that Binotto was held ultimately responsible for this and that Vasseur may now give it a go. "He is a real leader and will be able to take Ferrari to new heights. He is someone who can bang his fist on the table and doesn't like bullshit."

Vasseur can be rock hard

Van der Garde himself experienced Vasseur for a year in the Formula 3 Euroseries in 2006 and he calls his old team boss "rock hard". According to the 37-year-old Dutchman, that is also what Ferrari needs now. Binotto has since handed over his duties to Vasseur. The latter officially starts at Ferrari on 7 January.