Fred Vasseur has been warned that he could have "a short life" at Ferrari – before he has even started his new role as team principal of the Italian giants.
His appointment was announced on Tuesday, confirming what had become an open secret in the Formula 1 world. It also sparked a small game of team principal musical chairs on the grid as Andreas Seidl left McLaren to join Sauber in Vasseur's absence, before he was replaced in Woking by Andrea Stella.
The Frenchman begins his role officially in the New Year, with Mattia Binotto's last day as team principal declared as December 31. But before even being handed the keys to his new office at Maranello, Vasseur was told his stay might not be a long one.
That is according to Peter Sauber, founder and retired former owner of the eponymous team currently branded as Alfa Romeo. Looking at Ferrari's record with team bosses over the last three decades, the Swiss pointed out that only the legendary Jean Todt has held that role for an extended period of time.
"If you get an offer from Ferrari, you have to go," Sauber told Swiss newspaper Blick. "But if you know the history of Ferrari – back to the company founder Enzo – then you know that the team bosses usually have a short life. With the exception of Jean Todt, who ruled there for more than 12 years."
Since Todt left his role at the end of 2007, four other men have held the job. Current F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali lasted a while, from 2008 until he resigned in April 2014. He remains the most recent Ferrari team principal to win an F1 title, in his first season.
Marco Mattiacci followed on from Domenicali but was gone at the end of the year. Maurizio Arrivabene was given four seasons before he was replaced by Binotto, who himself lasted for the same amount of time before tendering his resignation at the end of this season.
Vasseur is vastly experienced and will go into this new job knowing full well the weight of expectation upon him. It has been suggested that he may struggle to gain the support of the vociferous Tifosi because he is not Italian, though Todt proved himself that nationality matters nowhere near as much as results.
Besides, chief executive Benedetto Vigna is believed to be delighted at having secured his personal top choice for the role, even though it has been claimed executive chairman John Elkann was looking at other options.
Vigna said of Vasseur as his appointment was announced: "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."
