Hearing that Ferrari F1 is currently in a state of division, one could argue that this is another way of saying the team is in disarray, which is not new. Divisions within Scuderia Ferrari have been commonplace for literally decades, only occasionally interrupted by strong leadership during championship-winning campaigns. I remember there were divisions in Ferrari when Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell drove for the team in the early 1990s.
Things seemed to settle when Michael Schumacher joined Ferrari, as the team focused on the German driver. But he had capable leaders supporting him all the way, including Jean Todt, Ross Brawn, and the legendary Luca Di Montezemolo.
Schumacher galvanised Ferrari during a lean first year with one simple mantra: “We win together and lose together.” It was a reminder that no individual can carry the team alone. Since their last Constructors’ Championship in 2008 — and their last Drivers’ Championship with Kimi Räikkönen in 2007 — Ferrari has struggled to regain that collective focus.
Even with top talents like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari has consistently fallen short. The team is always competitive — podiums, a few wins here and there — but never championship-ready. In 2025, the SF25 has barely moved, hampered by an unresolved ride-height issue that has capped performance.
The Long Arduous Road to Competitiveness
Now, internal tensions are surfacing. Reports suggest team principal Fred Vasseur clashed with senior engineer Matteo Togninalli, Ferrari’s Head of Track Engineering. Known for his volatile temperament but undeniable skill, Togninalli embodies the high-performer paradox familiar in any corporate setting: brilliant but unpredictable. Colleagues chafe under such volatility, yet leadership often tolerates it for results.
The problem is that volatility only becomes destructive when personal agendas overshadow collaboration. High performers pushing their own vision risk ignoring insights from other departments — insights that could improve parts, engineering, and overall performance. In Ferrari’s case, the team would benefit more from a collective of steady, focused minds than from a single individual wielding too much power based on a strong season from years past.
Fred Vasseur is reportedly under the spotlight, with Ferrari senior board members said to be seeking his replacement. These reports are unverified, and it would be a surprising move considering Vasseur recently signed a long-term agreement to stay with the Scuderia. But this is Ferrari — when the team is reduced to infighting and blame, anything can happen. Old habits die hard.
