Allegation of cheating by Toto Wolff? Vasseur (Ferrari): “It’s along those lines...”

The war of words between Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur is entering the next round. After the race at Spielberg, Wolff had suggested that Ferrari would soon run out of their upgrade budget within the permitted cost cap, because the Scuderia were bringing so many new parts with them. The Austrian had suggested that the same rules should apply to everyone – adding the telling afterthought: “…hopefully”. A week later, at the race in Silverstone, Vasseur was naturally asked about Wolff’s comments. The Frenchman had a clear opinion on the matter.

Vasseur notes a certain irony

Vasseur: “I found it ironic that this came from Toto and Mercedes. When Mercedes or Red Bull develop something, they’re geniuses. When we develop something, we’re cheating. People need to calm down. We haven’t brought more parts than Red Bull or anyone else. I don’t know if that was a joke…” Wolff seemed quite serious in Spielberg, even though he was, of course, merely speculating that, with so many upgrades, they’d soon run out of money. Theoretically. Perhaps.

We asked the Ferrari team principal: did Wolff’s comments sound to him like an accusation of cheating? Vasseur replied cautiously and thoughtfully: “If you assume that we’re exceeding the budget cap, then that’s the direction it’s heading in…” Have the two team principals, who are friends, already discussed the matter? With a grin, Vasseur said: “It was better to avoid talking about it.”

Vasseur: Ask Toto!

Many questions at the team principals’ press conference were directed at Vasseur, with several relating to Wolff’s comments and upgrades in general. With each question, the Frenchman became noticeably more reticent and resorted to a kind of gallows humour. When asked why Wolff had singled out Vasseur and Ferrari of all people as examples, he simply replied with a laugh: “Ask him why he was talking about me. Don’t ask me. To be honest, I’ve no idea.”

Vasseur: Delivering performance earlier is better

On the upgrades themselves, Vasseur explained: “The more performance you can deliver at the start, the better. We’re all in the same boat there. It’s better to have a few tenths for five races than a few tenths in the last two. But sometimes it’s difficult to find performance. Sometimes less so. Sometimes you get the feeling that we’re bringing a major upgrade, but it’s just a modification to a few parts, nothing more.” In other words: not that much has actually been changed – and reading between the lines, one might infer that there might not be so many new developments in the second half of the year.

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