Sainz is not worried about the relationship between Leclerc and Vasseur, despite the whispers that Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc could receive favouritism due to the previous driver / boss pairing. 

From the 2023 F1 season, Monegasque Charles Leclerc will again work with Frenchman Fred Vasseur who has joined Scuderia Ferrari as the new main team (replacing Mattia Binotto), but Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz says he has no problem with team-mate Charles Leclerc having worked with Fred Vasseur – Ferrari’s new team manager.

From this 2023 season, Frenchman Fred Vasseur will head up Scuderia Ferrari’s sporting management, replacing Mattia Binotto who has held the same position for four seasons.

Previously, Vasseur held the position of CEO and Team Principal of Sauber Motorsport (now Alfa Romeo), a position he assumed in 2017, while in 2016 he was Team Principal of Renault F1 Team (now Alpine F1).

Sainz: “I’m not worried”

During his time at Sauber, Fred Vasseur worked with the young Charles Leclerc, who was then starting his Formula 1 career with the small Swiss team. A few years later, the two men will once again work together at Ferrari and when asked if he was worried that the relationship already established between Vasseur and his teammate would be detrimental to him, Carlos Sainz replied:

“No [I am not worried] because I don’t think I am starting from scratch,” the Spaniard commented to Autosprint in Italy.

“I am sure I will get on well with him and he will be happy with me when he sees me working, also with my relationship with the team and with Charles.”

“I also think that his well-established relationship with Leclerc will also be very useful for everyone and will speed up his acclimatisation here.”

Vasseur the right man

Asked if he thinks Fred Vasseur is the right person to replace Mattia Binotto as Scuderia’s team principal, Sainz said, “From what I’ve been told and the way I know him, I think he’s the right man for the job.”

“Everyone knows him in the paddock, and I’m sure he’ll do well. There will be a period of adaptation, but Fred knows Formula 1 very well and also Ferrari.”

“Now will come this preparation phase, and then we will start working full steam ahead with him,” concludes the Ferrari driver.