Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has expressed frustration over the persistent speculation about his future at Maranello, which was only amplified earlier this week when former Red Bull boss Christian Horner stated his desire to take the top job at Ferrari.
Vasseur signed a multi-year contract to continue as Ferrari team principal last year, but it has done little to quieten rumours that his future beyond the end of this season could be in doubt.
Ferrari has won two races this year and is currently second in the constructors’ standings -- albeit 160 points adrift of championship leaders Mercedes.
The Italian team has not scored a podium in the last five races, adding to the pressure on Vasseur, while Horner was quoted in an interview on Thursday saying the team principal role at Ferrari would be “the dream.”
Horner was fired from his position as CEO and team principal at Red Bull last year but has made no secret of his desire to return to F1.
He stated previously that he would only return to F1 in a position that also includes a shareholding in a team, but in Thursday’s interview said he would make an exception for Ferrari.
When asked about Horner’s comments, Vasseur vented his frustration about the constant speculation around his future.
“We are not working in the perfect serenity,” Vaseeur was quoted as saying by The Race following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. “For me firstly, but for everybody in the team.
“For the media, for 50% of the questions [to be] about this, I think it’s a bit of a frustrating situation.
“We are fighting for P2 in the championship, and at the end of the day, we are all speaking a lot about this, and even for the guys in the garage, to discuss about this, it’s the best discussion that we can have.
“But it is what it is, it’s not in my hands. Mr Horner is looking for a job -- that everybody knows -- everywhere.
“But what can I do? Just try to do my best to push the team, to rise them to be motivated, focus on what is better today.
“Each interview, 25 times a day, we are coming back to this.”
He added: “But it is like it is. We have still seven races to go, and I will push until the last corner.”
Following a sixth-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was asked by Sky Sports if he is still confident Ferrari is on a “good path” with Vasseur in charge, to which he simply responded: “Yes.”
In a follow-up question Hamilton was asked if the team still had “good unity,” and again he responded: “Yep.”
Finally, when asked what the team can do over the remaining races, Hamilton said: “Keep trying.”
