Fred Vasseur finds much-needed allies as spotlight glares on Ferrari boss

Flavio Briatore has thrown his support behind Fred Vasseur, insisting the scrutiny faced by the Ferrari team principal is "much harder" than that endured by his rivals on the F1 grid.

Briatore's comments arrive with Vasseur in the spotlight following Ferrari's dip in form. Lewis Hamilton finishing third in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was the team's first podium in six races.

Speculation around Vasseur's future intensified further after Red Bull boss Christian Horner recently described the Ferrari team principal role as a dream job, while Italian media has reported friction between the Frenchman and CEO Benedetto Vigna over Hamilton's integration into the wider structure.

Ferrari's senior leadership, including executive chairman John Elkann and Vigna, moved to shut down the noise with an emergency press briefing last week, via chief communications officer Maria Conti, reiterating full confidence in Vasseur, who said he remains in daily contact with both men, and denying that his autonomy is restricted.

Alpine team principal Briatore, who knows what it is like to be vehemently scrutinised after the 'Crashgate' scandal of 2008 when he was in charge of Renault, said the nature of F1 coverage means questions are more pointed once results dip.

"The media look at every time you fail," said Briatore, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365. "It is unfortunately like that, because if you're doing well, the media is very quiet.

"The moment you're doing bad, the media wake up and [ask] 'Why?' So, we need to live with that.

"Sure, it's much harder for Fred than for us, for the number of articles, because from a media point of view the attention is very high.

"[But] We need the media because it's our business, but sometimes we need friendlier media. It's not possible, but we try."

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Vasseur critique 'exaggerated'

Williams team principal James Vowles echoed that sentiment, saying the volatility of judgement aimed at whoever occupies the Maranello hot seat sets it apart from other roles on the grid.

"Obviously it's difficult," Vowles said.

"We all know, let's be frank about it, our jobs are on the line. [If] We don't do a good enough job, that puts us at risk straight away. I think that's a given. You take that when you take the title.

"But there's a difference between how you're celebrated in success and how you're punished in failure. Generally speaking, we all are.

"I would say, and this is very external when I read it, that it's exaggerated more in a way towards Fred, his predecessors in that role. I think it's much higher highs, much lower lows. That's how I see it."