MONTREAL (Reuters) -Ferrari Formula One boss Fred Vasseur slammed media reports in Italy that he said were disrespectful and distracting for employees and damaging the team.
Speaking a day after seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton defended his boss as the man to lead the team back to the top, Vasseur showed he was hurting as he gave his own personal response.
Ferrari are second to McLaren in the constructors' standings, but 197 points behind, and have not won a Formula One championship since 2008.
Some media reports in Italy have suggested Vasseur's position is at risk, along with other senior employees, and that driver Charles Leclerc could be looking for a move elsewhere.
Hamilton's future has also been questioned.
"It's not about myself, I believe, because this I can manage," said Vasseur, who started out saying he would have to remain calm.
"It's more about the people of the team. To throw their names like this, I think it's just disrespectful for them, for the family.
"Perhaps it’s to give s*** to the team, but in this case, I don’t see the point," he said of the speculation, a comment that could put him in hot water with the governing FIA for using bad language.
He suggested it might be the only way some reporters existed.
"This is probably more the reason, but it’s really hurting the team... when you are fighting for the championship, every single detail makes a difference. From the beginning of the weekend, we are just thinking about this.
"If it’s their target to put the team in this situation, they reached their goal, but I think it’s not like this that we’ll be able to win a championship -- and at least not with this kind of journalists around us."
The Frenchman said he knew what he was taking on when he became principal in 2023, and could handle it, but it was hard for employees with families to read that their positions might be at risk.
He pointed out that Leclerc had a long-term contract and repeatedly said that he wanted to stay.
"Each single interview from the beginning of the season, he’s telling that he wants to stay with Ferrari, he wants to win with Ferrari, his future is with Ferrari," said the team boss.
"But every single Monday, we have articles telling that Charles will go next year. At one stage, I don’t know what we have to do."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
