Vasseur: Renault 'right move', not a difficult decision

Vasseur: Renault 'right move', not a difficult decision - Frederic Vasseur says it was the “right move” for him to join Renault and to take up a team principal role.

Vasseur was officially confirmed as racing director this week following several successful years in charge of multiple champions ART Grand Prix in GP2 and GP3. He will report to managing director Cyril Abiteboul.

“We were very successful in GP2 and GP3 and we had a good season in DTM and it is much easier for me to leave the company after a successful period, so I think it was the right move,” Vasseur explained.

“It was not too difficult [to make that decision] after the season I had last year, which was a good one in GP2 and GP3 – we won four titles. We had a very successful season in DTM also and I had a feeling it was a good moment for me to move.

“Also because I am French [it is a good move] - and also because the challenge is exciting.”

Asked what his role will entail as racing director, he replied: “If you have a look at all the others team in F1, I think it is a very small world and you can't compare the organisation of each competitor. There is no one model for the team principals. If you look at Christian Horner [Red Bull], Toto Wolff [Mercedes] and Maurizio Arrivabene [Ferrari], there is not one model but today we have a good co-operation between Cyril and I and I think it is a good combination and so far everything is going in the right direction.”

Vasseur also said that the basic job with Renault will be no different to that with ART Grand Prix, it is just the size that is the main change with the headcount that much bigger.

“So far my feeling is that there is no big difference. You have the same structure… it is more people but you have the engineers, mechanics, drivers, you have to push on the drivers, so the approach is similar. The difference is you have to manage having 10 times more people around you.”

As for the politics, that's not something fazing him either: “It could happen, but in my previous life it was also the case when I had the team, Toyota driver, McLaren driver, Renault driver, Red Bull driver, I had to manage a little bit the politics,” he pointed-out.