Vasselon wants to stay
Michelin's outgoing Formula 1 manager Pascal Vasselon has spoken out for the first time about his imminent departure from his role - and claimed that he is actually aiming to stay involved in motorsport
Autosport.com exclusively revealed earlier this week that Vasselon was being moved to another part of the French tyre manufacturer's company, focusing on 4x4 tyres in the United States, as part of a major management reshuffle aimed at helping its bid to win the world championship.
But Vasselon, talking to autosport.com during a visit to this week's F1 test in Jerez, has admitted that the decision to switch roles was not his - and that he does not actually want to move to road car work.
"I didn't know anything about it," said Vasselon of the job reshuffle. "It was a top management decision and maybe we didn't win enough.
"I'm not quite sure what is going on, but at the moment I am here (in Jerez) to help people out for the next two weeks.
"But of course I want to stay in motorsport. That is my intention."
News of Vasselon's job change caught many F1 teams by surprise - and sources have claimed that at least two of Michelin's contracted teams are not happy that the company is losing the Frenchman's knowledge and valuable input as the company bids for its first world title since 1984. There are suggestions complaints may be lodged with the tyre company over the move
Vasselon has been Michelin's F1 manager since it re-entered grand prix racing in 2000 - and before that he worked in other motor racing categories for the company since 1994.
The design changes teams face as F1 launch season begins
Formula 1 fans are eagerly waiting to see how much of the Red Bull RB19 being unveiled in New York City later on Friday is actually new.
Friday favourite: How Volvo's "no ego" pole king endeared himself to a BTCC champion
With the likes of Andy Rouse, Steve Soper, Alain Menu and Paul Radisich to chose from, Tim Harvey is spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a favourite team-mate. But it's a driver that the 1992 British Touring Car champion only raced alongside for a single season, Swedish ace Rickard Rydell, that is his number one in our ongoing weekly series
Why Gran Turismo 7 is a revelation in virtual reality
OPINION: The PSVR2 and the upcoming Gran Turismo 7 update provides the best console virtual reality experience to date, setting an example for other developers to follow
Bathurst 12 Hour: Marciello puts Mercedes on top in Friday practice
GruppeM Mercedes ended Friday on top at the Bathurst 12 Hour after Rafaelle Marciello topped the times in a crash shortened final practice.
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.