Getting to know: Frédéric Vasseur
Frédéric Vasseur (28th May 1968, France)
Managing Director & CEO, Sauber Motorsport AG
Team Principal, Sauber F1 Team
Mr. Vasseur is without a doubt a well-known figure in motorsport paddocks around the globe – and his success in managing teams in various Formula-Series speaks for itself. As the founder of ART Grand Prix and ASM, Vasseur has celebrated outstanding accomplishments with the two teams and a broad selection of talented drivers over the past years, including 8 GP2 Series titles, 9 GP3 Series titles, and 12 Formula 3 Euro Series titles. Three celebrated Formula 1 World Champions – Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Nico Rosberg – were among the many drivers who were part of Vasseur’s talent pool in their early days.
Motorsport roots
After earning a degree in Aeronautical Techniques and Automotive Engineering at ESTACA in 1996, Vasseur founded his first racing team ASM which, together with Renault, entered the Formula 3 Championship that same year. With the first championship title in his pocket, Vasseur entered a partnership agreement with Mercedes.
In 2003, ASM entered the Formula 3 Euro Series. Between 2004 and 2009, the team won the championship year after year, including wins at prestigious races such as the Masters of Zandvoort and the Macao Grand Prix.
Where stars were born
Numerous drivers have made their way to the top of motorsport under Vasseur’s watchful eye in the Formula 3 Euro Series: these include Romain Grosjean, Jules Bianchi, Paul Di Resta, and Jamie Green, to name a few.
In 2004, Vasseur continued his journey towards the peak of international motorsport. He founded ART Grand Prix, and introduced the team into the GP2 Series a year later. Since then, a total of 8 GP2 Series championship titles, 4 team and 4 driver titles – Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Nico Hülkenberg, and Stoffel Vandoorne – were won by the team. Other accomplishments include GP3 Series titles, won by Esteban Gutierrez (2010), Valtteri Bottas (2011), Esteban Ocon (2015) and Charles Leclerc (2016).
Formula E meets Formula 1
With vast experience in motor racing, Vasseur founded Spark Racing Technology (SRT) in 2012, which develops hybrid and electric powertrains. In 2014, Formula E – a FIA racing championship featuring electric-powered cars competing in the world’s biggest cities – was born. Spark Racing Technology was contracted to construct 40 single-seaters (Spark-Renault SRT_01E) for Formula E Holdings (FEH).
In 2016, Vasseur made his first step into Formula 1, becoming Team Principal of the newly founded Renault Sport Formula One Team. In 2017, Frédéric Vasseur was named as the new Managing Director and CEO of Sauber Motorsport AG, and Team Principal of the Sauber F1 Team.
Career:
| 2017 | Team Principal, Sauber F1 Team |
| Managing Director & CEO, Sauber Motorsport AG | |
| 2016 | Team Principal, Renault Sport F1 Team |
| 2015 | DTM Championship (2 Mercedes), ART Grand Prix |
| 2014 | ELMS Championship (2 McLaren MP4 12C), ART Grand Prix |
| FIA Formula E Inaugural Championship, Spark Racing Technology | |
| 2012-2014 | Blancpain Endurance Series (2 McLaren MP4 12C), ART Grand Prix |
| 2012-2013 | GT Tour (McLaren MP4 12C), ART Grand Prix |
| 2012 | Founded Spark Racing Technology (Design and Build of Hybrid and Electric systems) |
| 2010 | Founded AOTech (Drivers Simulator and CFD Engineering) |
| 2010-2017 | GP3 Series, ART Grand Prix |
| 2005-2017 | GP2 Series, ART Grand Prix |
| 2004 | Co-founded ART Grand Prix |
| 2003-2009 | F3 Euroseries Championship, ASM F3 |
| 1996-2002 | French F3 Championship, ASM F3 |
| 1996 | Founded ASM F3 |
| 1995 | Graduated from ESTACA (Higher School of Aeronautical Techniques and Automotive Engineering) |
| 1992 | Founded RPM (F3 Engines Renault preparation and development – French and British Championship) |