Ferrari announced on the eve of F1’s summer break that Fred Vasseur had signed a new multi-year contract. The Frenchman’s future had previously been in doubt.
The Scuderia had an excellent 2024, narrowly missing out on the constructors’ title, but they’ve regressed dramatically this year. Though they’re still second in the standings, they’re almost 300 points off McLaren and haven’t won a single race.
This naturally led to doubt as to whether Vasseur’s deal, which expired at the end of the year, would be renewed. But there was little interest in the Ferrari job, regarded as the highest-pressure position in F1.
What’s more, Lewis Hamilton intervened on Vasseur’s behalf, strongly expressing support when the uncertainty was at its highest. Charles Leclerc also made clear that he wanted the Frenchman to stay.
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari wears headphones before an F1 race
Hamilton worked with Vasseur in the junior categories, and that relationship was crucial in convincing him to leave Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton is trying to shape Ferrari – but will the team let him?
Speaking before the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed that he’d been sending Ferrari documents of feedback across his first half-season with the team. He’s suggested structural changes as well as specific car improvements.
A report from FUnoAnalisiTecnica likens Hamilton to a ‘shadow team principal’ given that he’s trying to exert so much influence. His record undoubtedly commands respect – he’s the most successful driver in the sport’s history – but Ferrari have generally been reluctant to embrace change.
Over the past two decades – a period that has only included one drivers’ title – Ferrari have been committed to doing things their ‘own way’. ‘Bureaucratic overreach’ has also been a recurring trend at Maranello.
The ‘internal infighting’ has hindered some of the team’s best engineers and stalled exciting ideas. Thus, there is reason to doubt whether they will truly take Hamilton’s opinions on board.
What Lewis Hamilton is planning to do after he leaves Ferrari
Hamilton clearly joined Ferrari under the impression that the team would listen to him. He watched as ‘amazing’ drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso missed out on the title, and concluded that the team wasn’t ‘firing on all cylinders’.
In Vasseur, he may feel that he has a team boss who’s attentive to his recommendations, allowing the seven-time world champion to put his stamp on the Prancing Horse. But he might now be seeing the cultural obstacles.
Hamilton indirectly cast doubt on the value of his feedback by calling himself ‘useless’ at the Hungarian GP. He even suggested that Ferrari should replace him, which has sparked talk of a possible retirement within the next 18 months.
It’s believed that Hamilton will stop racing altogether when he leaves. He’s likely to pursue other interests outside of F1, rather than drop into another series as many of his fellow world champions have done.
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