Ferrari: Vasseur explains why he prefers Alesi’s ardour over Hamilton’s management
There’s an emotional thread that runs by way of Ferrari’s historical past, one which inevitably passes by way of people who expertise the workforce as one thing far past a job. Frédéric Vasseur, now on the helm of the Scuderia, is aware of this weight effectively and has by no means hidden how a lot the human aspect issues when judging a driver. Talking about figures from completely different eras and types, the French workforce principal drew a comparability that additionally says quite a bit about his view of recent Components 1.
Alesi and dwelling the purple as a private mission
When speaking about Jean Alesi, the French supervisor centered on a facet usually missed when analyzing careers and statistics. For the French supervisor, Jean Alesi was not solely a quick driver however a person who embodied Ferrari nearly viscerally. “Jean was a passionate driver, much more than Hamilton. He was very emotional, even after we raced collectively in DTM,” Fred Vasseur defined in an interview on Pirelli’s YouTube channel, hinting that this emotional depth was each a power and a limitation. In an period when Components 1 was much less filtered, Jean Alesi was the form of driver who may captivate followers even with out a streak of victories. His relationship with Maranello was by no means chilly or calculated: it was stuffed with fervor, frustration, and brazenly expressed love. In accordance with Fred Vasseur, it’s exactly this emotional dimension that units him other than most of the newer champions.
Hamilton and emotional management in fashionable F1
The comparability with Lewis Hamilton comes nearly naturally however shouldn’t be meant to be a rating of worth. Fred Vasseur emphasised that the seven-time world champion represents a unique technology, raised in a Components 1 that’s way more structured and strategic. For the workforce principal, it’s not about deciding who is bigger however recognizing two reverse methods of experiencing the identical sport. On one aspect, the intuition and overwhelming ardour of Jean Alesi; on the opposite, the management and purposeful calm of Lewis Hamilton. Two faces of Components 1 that present how time has modified not solely the vehicles but additionally the very soul of the drivers themselves.
Fred Vasseur’s reflections on the emotional disparity between Jean Alesi and Lewis Hamilton present a captivating glimpse into the evolving psychological profile required to succeed at Ferrari. By highlighting Alesi’s visceral ardour, Vasseur acknowledges the romanticized historical past of the Scuderia, whereas his transfer to carry Hamilton to Maranello for the 2026 season suggests a choice for the Briton’s refined, strategic composure to navigate the complexities of the brand new technical period. Whereas Jean Alesi might have worn his coronary heart on his sleeve extra prominently, the French supervisor clearly believes that the stability between uncooked emotion and fashionable self-discipline is what is going to outline the subsequent championship-winning chapter for the Italian workforce.
Fred Vasseur views the comparability not as a critique of expertise, however as an commentary of how the “Ferrari soul” has transitioned from Alesi’s pure intuition to Hamilton’s calculated excellence.
Feb 3, 2026
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