Hamilton dismisses rumours about Vasseur's future as "nonsense

Lewis Hamilton reacted to the rumors about Frédéric Vasseur's future at Ferrari. The British driver called the Italian speculations about a possible replacement of the French team director nonsense.

The context of the rumors

La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera have published articles questioning Vasseur's position after Ferrari's difficult start to the season. The team, which finished 14 points behind McLaren last year, is now 197 points behind the British team after nine races.

The Scuderia, moreover, did not win any Grand Prix, with only a sprint race victory for Hamilton in China and three podiums for Leclerc. Yet, at the same point in 2024, the Italian team already had two victories and seven podiums, which, according to these Italian publications, would call Vasseur into question and call for his replacement.

Hamilton firmly defends Vasseur

Speaking at Thursday's press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, the Briton stated that he only discovered the situation upon arriving in Montreal: "I was informed just before getting here, so I haven't read the articles. It's really not pleasant to hear that there are stories like this going around," he said.

The Ferrari driver firmly defended his team principal: « First of all, I love working with Fred. Fred is the main reason I am in this team and I had the opportunity to be here, for which I will be eternally grateful to him, and we are in the same boat. »

The connections between Hamilton and Vasseur are not recent; in fact, the two men had already collaborated in junior categories twenty years earlier. Today, the Briton expresses his satisfaction and support for the French director regarding their current partnership: "We are working hard in the background. Things are not perfect, but for me, I'm here to work with the team and also with Fred. I want Fred to be there. I believe Fred is the person who will lead us to the top," he emphasized.

The seven-time world champion not only dismissed these speculations but also sharply criticized those spreading such rumors: « In the end, it's nonsense what people have written. Most people don't know what's happening in the background, and it's not all easy », reminding that few people truly understand the stakes behind the scenes and the complexity of the situation.

And in response to the media's insistence on the subject, Hamilton reaffirmed his position without ambiguity: "I don't think it's relevant, as far as I know, and it's certainly not something I would support. [...] It's not part of the discussion. I'm here to win with Fred and he has my full support." He also highlighted the risks of instability linked to personnel changes, noting that the integration of new people, whether a driver, engineers, or management members, requires time to adapt, with a potentially significant impact.

Ferrari drivers reaffirm their commitment

Charles Leclerc has also been the subject of speculation about his future at Ferrari, which surprised him: "I am very surprised. I have no idea where it comes from. I would simply prefer to ignore it. But I never said anything like that in the last three races. If anything, I keep saying how much I love the team and how much I want to bring Ferrari back to the top, so I was surprised," he said.

The Monegasque, who renewed his commitment with Ferrari in 2024 for several seasons, emphasized the group's cohesion and the relevance of the approach adopted by his team: "We have a vision that we share, the three of us - Fred, Lewis, and myself - to return to victory. We have worked to put all this in place. It is our plan, and we will stick to it."

Same sentiment from Hamilton, visibly annoyed by these rumors. He wanted to set the record straight: "And also, to all those writing stories about me considering not racing - I literally just started here with Ferrari. I'm here for several years, and I'm here for the long haul. There's no doubt about where I am mentally and what I'm aiming to achieve with this team. There's absolutely no doubt. Please stop making up stories," he stated, clearly targeting the authors of these speculations.

A recurring phenomenon at Ferrari.

Translate: This situation is not new for the Italian team. Indeed, Carlos Sainz, former Ferrari driver, did not fail to remind when asked about the subject: « It's the same story as always. As soon as the results don't follow at Ferrari, there are always accusations pointed out by the media, and all this chaos that happens », he said.

Vasseur joined Ferrari at the beginning of 2023 to replace Mattia Binotto. Since his arrival, the team has undergone a restructuring, notably after the departure of Laurent Mekies, former race director who became team director at Racing Bulls.

As for Hamilton, he remains confident in the Ferrari project and in Vasseur. The team is now focusing on the Canadian Grand Prix, where it will try to confirm the signs of improvement shown in the recent races, notably with Leclerc's two consecutive podiums in Monaco and Spain.