‘I mean that honestly’: Frederic Vasseur on using Ferrari’s ‘nuclear button’

Ferrari have the potential to veto any potential rule changes.

Ferrari are one of the biggest and most successful teams in motorsport history and this comes with a number of benefits.

The Scuderia have a secret ‘nuclear button’ available to them, something which no other team on the grid has the power to use.

This secret ability is the power to veto and rule changes, meaning that they can unilaterally block and regulation change that it feels is not in its or the sport’s best interests.

Whilst this power was given to Ferrari in 1980 to keep them in Formula 1, following rumours they could walk away, the team still have this veto ability up their sleeve.

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The Concorde Agreement was last negotiated in 2019 and Ferrari managed to retain this privilege, with the general understanding being that without Ferrari in the sport, F1 would massively struggle.

Despite Ferrari’s poor start to the 2023 season and Red Bull’s potential dominance of this era of Formula 1 ,new Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has explained that his team will not be looking to press their ‘nuclear button’.

“It’s a team representative and an F1 commission representee on the World [Motorsport] Council,” said Vasseur when asked who holds the power to activate Ferrari’s veto ability.

“I’m supposed to vote in function of the decisions of the teams, this is crystal clear. [But] the quality of the job done at the F1 commission level is very good.

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“When we are bringing something [forward], the next step I think is quite finalised.

“I think Ferrari have never used [the veto] in the past because of the work done at the F1 commission. Even if sometimes we are not on the same page and are fighting each other.

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“I don’t see where we could use [the veto] in the short term. I mean that honestly.”

The last major regulation changes actually saw Ferrari improve drastically but unfortunately for the team, Red Bull became almost unbeatable.

The Scuderia will be looking to secure second place in the championship as a minimum this season but will face competition from both Aston Martin and Mercedes.