Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur strongly defended Lewis Hamilton`s performance early in the season following another challenging race weekend for the seven-time world champion at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Vasseur`s remarks included a heated exchange with journalists.
Hamilton finished the race in seventh place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, having also qualified seventh. He was significantly outperformed by his teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured third place, giving Ferrari their first podium finish of the season.
Apart from securing pole position and winning the Sprint race in China earlier in the season, Hamilton has had a largely underwhelming start to his tenure with Ferrari after his high-profile move from Mercedes.
The 40-year-old British driver appeared disheartened after Sunday`s event, describing the race as `horrible` and suggesting that the remainder of his season `is going to be painful`.
Responding to Hamilton`s results and comments, Vasseur stated, “I will back him 2000 percent. I will provide support, and starting tomorrow morning, we will work early to identify solutions and reasons and address them.”
He added, “But honestly, I am not overly concerned. Looking at his performance in China, or in the Bahrain race last week, or even the initial part of the session this weekend, the potential is definitely there.”
“We simply need to refine the car`s balance, as we, both Lewis and the team collectively, are struggling with its setup and how he`s managing the tires.”
“It`s somewhat of a challenging point, but I believe the car`s capability is present, and we will strive to resolve this issue.”
Vasseur Dismisses Talk of `Dramatic` Drop in Hamilton`s Form
Vasseur was pressed further by journalists regarding Hamilton`s performance during his post-race briefing and eventually reacted sharply.
When asked if Hamilton`s form had declined `dramatically`, Vasseur countered, “It`s not dramatic. We`ve completed five races so far. I know you`re looking for big headlines tomorrow saying `Fred said this`.”
“`But this is absolute nonsense. Ultimately, we are in a competition. There are highs and lows.`”
“`When things go well, we aren`t world champions. When things are difficult, we aren`t nowhere. It`s simply competition.`”
Continuing his defense of Hamilton, Vasseur suggested that his driver`s performances are being scrutinized differently compared to those of the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen.
The text noted Verstappen`s result in Bahrain the previous week (stated as seventh) and his subsequent pole and second place finish in Jeddah as examples of competitive fluctuations Vasseur used for comparison.
The text also indicated Verstappen was third in the drivers` standings, 12 points behind the leader (stated as Piastri), while Hamilton was further back in seventh, 68 points adrift.
Vasseur commented, “I doubt you`d reach the same conclusion about Max last week when he was seventh. That`s just how it is. The competition is intense.”
“`There are ten cars separated by just a few tenths. Consider Max. He won in Japan. He finished thirty seconds behind Piastri in Bahrain (as stated in the source text), and in Saudi Arabia, he took pole position and finished P2.`”
“`We just need to remain composed. You can report what you like; I`m not going to stress about it for you. For us as a team, we must proceed step by step.`”
“`I believe this approach of gaining hundredths of a second paid off last year, and we need to maintain that.`”
“`I will never be someone who declares we are world champions or that we are completely lost. We are a team. We face challenges on some weekends. We achieve good results on others. The key is to improve incrementally and stay calm.`”
Vasseur: This Isn`t a `Transitional` Season for Hamilton
A consistent topic in the season`s early phase has been Hamilton expressing the difficulty he`s experiencing adapting to Ferrari`s car and operational procedures after spending 12 years at Mercedes.
Despite Hamilton`s comments, Vasseur asserted that he does not view the current year as merely a `transitional` period for the British driver, and furthermore, he sees Hamilton`s apparent frustration as a positive sign.
Regarding Hamilton finishing sixth (as quoted by Vasseur, though the text earlier stated seventh in Jeddah), Vasseur remarked, “It`s not a transitional phase, but naturally, he`s disappointed when he finishes a race in sixth place while his teammate is on the podium.”
“`Honestly, I view Lewis being disappointed as positive, because if he were content with this result, it wouldn`t be normal.`”
“`He is a competitive racer; he aims to get the absolute best out of what he has, and of course, he is let down.`”
“`Now, we must work and react together, as that is the sole path forward.`”
Marcus Prine