Ferrari’s search for sustained success has produced an intriguing storyline away from Formula 1, with one of the figures already working within the wider Ferrari racing operation having helped end a remarkable 53-year wait for a world championship title. Antonello Coletta, Ferrari’s Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti, played a central leadership role as the manufacturer returned to the top of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2025. Ferrari secured both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ world titles, marking its first WEC championship double in 53 years.
Coletta’s achievement has inevitably fueled speculation about his potential as a future senior figure in Ferrari’s motorsport structure, particularly whenever Fred Vasseur’s position as Formula 1 team principal becomes a subject of discussion. Vasseur joined Ferrari in 2023 after previously leading Sauber and was handed a multi-year contract extension in 2025, demonstrating that the team continues to place significant trust in his leadership. However, Ferrari’s broader motorsport success under Coletta provides an interesting example of another manager already familiar with the culture, expectations and immense pressure associated with the famous marque.
The 2025 endurance campaign was particularly significant because Ferrari’s drivers Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi captured the World Drivers’ Championship in the No. 51 499P, while Ferrari also secured the Manufacturers’ Championship. The achievement came after years of rebuilding Ferrari’s endurance programme and followed the manufacturer’s return to the premier Hypercar class. Coletta had already overseen major successes in the category, including Ferrari’s consecutive overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023 and 2024.
There is, however, an important distinction between managing Ferrari’s endurance programme and running its Formula 1 operation. The two championships involve different sporting structures, technical regulations and competitive environments, meaning success in one discipline does not automatically guarantee success in another. Nevertheless, Coletta’s record demonstrates his ability to oversee a complex Ferrari racing project, develop a competitive programme and maintain a clear long-term objective. That experience could make him an interesting name whenever discussions about Ferrari’s future leadership emerge.
For now, Vasseur remains Ferrari’s Formula 1 team principal, with the company having publicly committed to him through a multi-year renewal. Ferrari’s F1 programme is still chasing the championships that have eluded the Scuderia for years, while its endurance division has already delivered the kind of world-title breakthrough that Maranello has been demanding. Coletta’s role in ending the 53-year WEC drought therefore gives Ferrari another successful leader within its ranks—and ensures that his name will remain part of any future conversation about the direction of the legendary Italian team.
