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1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve believes relentless pressure and media scrutiny simply come with the territory of leading Ferrari.
Pressure surrounding Fred Vasseur's position at the Italian outfit has intensified recently, fueled further by rumors linking Red Bull's Christian Horner with a switch to Maranello. Ferrari moved to steady the ship by issuing a public vote of confidence in the Frenchman during a pre-race weekend media briefing, while drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have also voiced strong support for their boss.
Villeneuve weighed in on the situation at the iconic team during Sky Sports F1's coverage of practice sessions at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
"The team principal is never just a scapegoat – they sit right at the top of the pyramid. When things go well, they take the plaudits, but when struggles hit, they have to take the blows," the Canadian pundit emphasized. "That is completely normal. Everyone working for Ferrari – not just the boss – understands that price. It carries an enormous weight: when you deliver strong results you're fantastic, but two or three bad races are all it takes for everyone to turn on you, at least in the media. It has always been this way for team bosses, drivers, and engineers alike. That's the price of being with the greatest team of all time."
When asked whether Vasseur requires more time to see his vision through, the 1997 champion pointed out that the Frenchman has already been afforded far more patience than many of his predecessors.
Villeneuve also highlighted what he considers the fundamental structural flaw continuing to derail Ferrari's quest to end their nearly 20-year Formula 1 title drought.
"If you look at teams like Mercedes, Toto Wolff makes every single decision. There is no one above him, and he is also a co-owner, much like team owners used to be in the past. At Ferrari, that setup doesn't exist – Vasseur doesn't have total control over the operation or key calls," the Canadian explained, arguing that decision-making by committee hurts the team in F1's fast-moving environment. "Management by committee doesn't work because it's simply too slow. Formula 1 demands rapid reactions and split-second decisions."
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