Leclerc and Hamilton back Ferrari chief Vasseur

Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have publicly backed team principal Fred Vasseur amid speculation about his future, saying the team supports him as it works through a difficult run of results. Their comments do not establish how long Vasseur will remain in the role, and Ferrari has not announced a formal decision beyond a statement of confidence reported by the team. Speaking ahead of the Sepang race weekend, Leclerc said he trusts Vasseur and considers him valuable to Ferrari. He praised Vasseur’s ability to manage people and said the team’s support for him had been clear internally. Leclerc added that the speculation had affected the team’s “serenity,” though he said its members had little control over the discussion and needed to focus on results. Hamilton also described Vasseur as the right person to lead Ferrari and said team members were working hard despite criticism from outside. Ferrari told selected media it had full confidence in Vasseur and said its choices had already been made, according to the report of that briefing. Hamilton welcomed the statement but said the team was already united.