Fred Vasseur refused to comment on Ferrari‘s 2024 car or Charles Leclerc‘s contract extension after a mediocre 2023 Dutch Grand Prix for the team, they picked up a paltry 10 points thanks to Carlos Sainz‘s fifth place finish.
After Sainz qualified behind five different constructors at Zandvoort, Leclerc retired from floor damage just over halfway through proceedings as Ferrari stumble towards their home race.
Ferrari have taken a giant step back in 2023 after entering the 2022 season as world championship contenders, Leclerc rubbished rumours that he’d signed a monster extension with the team over the summer break.
“Charles has a contract with us for next year, we are starting to discuss the extension for 2023 per the plan,” Vasseur told select members of the press, including Total-Motorsport.com.
“I think that we are a team, Charles is part of the team. We are trying to give Charles the car that we can, he has given us the best drive that he can. And if we have to improve altogether.”
Vasseur: I don’t want to speak about 2024 Ferrari
Nearly three-quarters of a year into Vasseur‘s tenure at the head of Ferrari, there’s still not too many noticeable signs of change from Mattia Binotto‘s regime.
They’ve experienced some engineering turnover but despite Leclerc ensuring journalists that Vasseur does have a plan that he’s fully bought into, things continue to just chug along for the Scuderia.
The 2024 will be Vasseur‘s first real test with the team though, a car that he’s had oversight on for the whole development process and a chance to see what philosophy he’s installed in Maranello.
“I don’t want to speak about next year’s car,” Vasseur added. “For sure it’s a different project, it’s a different project for everybody.
“We’re all trying to extract the best from the regulations and to do a step forward now, we have still eight or nine races to go and we have some upgrades to come in the next couple of races. Next year’s project is different.”
