Frederic Vasseur confirmed as new Ferrari team principal

Vasseur spent six years as team principal at Alfa Romeo, leading them to seventh in the constructors' championship this season, but will now replace Mattia Binotto at the iconic Italian team.

Vasseur said: “I am truly delighted and honoured to take over the leadership of Scuderia Ferrari as Team Principal. As someone who has always held a lifelong passion for motorsport, Ferrari has always represented the very pinnacle of the racing world to me. I look forward to working with the talented and truly passionate team in Maranello to honour the history and heritage of the Scuderia and deliver for our Tifosi around the world."

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said: “We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as our Team Principal. Throughout his career he has successfully combined his technical strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams. This approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy.”

Vasseur was the man who gave Charles Leclerc, now a Ferrari driver, his F1 debut in 2018 with Sauber.

How Vasseur manages the dynamics between Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz remains to be seen but will be one of his main challenges.

Ferrari have not crowned a drivers' champion since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 and Leclerc's challenge this season was undermined by strategy and performance issues.