Minardi Calls on Ferrari Boss Vasseur to Learn Italian After Tough Season
Giancarlo Minardi believes Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur needs to connect better with the team’s Italian roots following a disappointing 2025 campaign.
“If I were him, I’d finally try to learn Italian. In a competitive team, empathy is often worth as much, if not more, than a pay rise,” Minardi told Quotidiano Sportivo.
The 78-year-old founder of the former Minardi F1 team didn’t stop there. He thinks Vasseur needs to watch what he says to the press.
“In his place, I would be more careful about public statements. For months, he guaranteed that they were they were working on the SF-25 to improve it, and instead, in the autumn, he said that already in April, they had decided to interrupt development to focus everything on 2026. A bit incongruous, no?”
Ferrari had a rough 2025 season by any measure.
The legendary Italian team failed to win a single race.
They managed just seven podium finishes across 24 races – a painful statistic for the sport’s most iconic team.
This performance marks one of Ferrari’s most challenging seasons in recent memory, leaving fans and former drivers wondering what’s next for the Scuderia.
Patrese skeptical about Ferrari’s 2026 chances
Former F1 driver Riccardo Patrese doesn’t see things improving anytime soon. The ex-Williams racer believes Ferrari needs stronger technical leadership before they can turn things around.
Will the focus on 2026 pay off? Or is Ferrari’s struggle going to continue regardless of which season they prioritize?
Many experts believe Vasseur’s leadership style hasn’t fully connected with Ferrari’s passionate Italian culture – something Minardi clearly thinks could be improved by learning the language.
The 57-year-old Vasseur now faces mounting pressure to deliver results as Ferrari looks ahead to 2026.
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