Frederic Vasseur recently spoke about his relationship with star Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. The team boss also showered praises on Leclerc's talent and his excellence across various aspects of the sport.
Leclerc and Vasseur have a long-standing relationship that dates back to 2016. The young Monegasque joined Vasseur's ART Grand Prix team in the GP3 series. Their partnership continued when Leclerc made his Formula 1 debut with Alfa Romeo Sauber in 2018. The duo were reunited when Vasseur was appointed as the Ferrari team principal ahead of the 2023 season.
In a recent interview with French outlet L'Equipe, the Frenchman opened up about his close relationship with Charles Leclerc and how it facilitates better understanding. He also showered praises on his driving ability. Vasseur said (via PlanetF1.com):
"A very good compromise of everything, and for me it has the added advantage of having known him when he was very young. You don’t need to talk much, you understand each other quickly, and sometimes a glance is enough to know whether the other is happy or not. I think he’s an excellent all-rounder."
Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc are currently in their second year of partnership at Ferrari. Next season, however, marks the arrival of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who has also known Vasseur for two decades having driven for ART Grand Prix in the junior categories.
There is plenty of anticipation surrounding Ferrari's star-studded driver lineup for the upcoming season as Vasseur aims to put the team at the front of the field.
Former F1 champion doesn't expect a tricky relationship between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 world champion, recently presented his perspective on how the driver dynamic between incumbent Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton would unfold in 2025.
Button expects the duo to get along well, predicting no issues between the two as he noted that Hamilton has become more relaxed in recent years. He said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast:
"If it was Lewis of seven, eight years ago, it would be a tricky relationship. But no, I don't think they're going to have issues as being teammates at all. No more than Carlos and Charles have right now."
Button explained that Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton would be working together to win the championship for Ferrari, emphasizing the working culture within the Italian team.
"In Ferrari, everybody works for Ferrari, it's all about Ferrari winning the world championship. It's a different way of racing for someone like Lewis, who is such a star in this sport. Suddenly, he's kind of working for Ferrari to win the championship. So I look forward to seeing the dynamic there. And that's going to be very exciting next year," he added.