Lewis Hamilton has backed Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur following rumors of his dismissal in Italy: He would not support his possible departure
Will Lewis Hamilton save the career of Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur? The Frenchman is under pressure after an unsuccessful 2025 Formula 1 season and is in danger of losing his position at the helm of the Scuderia – at least according to several major Italian newspapers.
But the seven-time world champion is demonstratively backing his former mentor: “I want Fred to stay here,” he made clear at the press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. “I firmly believe that Fred is the one who can lead us to the top.”
After a thoroughly successful 2024 season, in which the team was finally able to fight for the title until the last race, it is still lagging behind expectations this year. And those were already huge after the high-profile signing of the British record world champion.
Apart from a victory in the sprint in China, Ferrari has not yet achieved any major successes. As a result, there are now initial reports from Italy that Vasseur’s position is under threat, with his three-year contract expiring at the end of the season and possibly not being renewed.
Hamilton himself only found out about this indirectly and has not read the articles, as he said when asked. “It’s definitely not nice to hear stories like that circulating,” he said.
And if it were up to him, the Frenchman would not be up for discussion at all. “I really enjoy working with Fred. Fred is the main reason why I am in this team and why I got the opportunity here, for which I am eternally grateful to him,” says Hamilton, who had already driven successfully for Vasseur’s ART team in the GP2 series.
Of course, he is aware that things are not as perfect as one might have hoped. And of course, he is also aware that there is a lot of pressure at Ferrari because the team wants to win.
But for him, sacking the team boss is not the solution. “As far as I know, that’s not even up for discussion. And it would certainly not be something I would support,“ he clarifies. ”I’m here to work with the team, but also with Fred. I want Fred to stay here.“
According to Hamilton, the reports are ”basically nonsense,“ as he puts it. ”Most people don’t know what’s really going on behind the scenes.”
Bringing new people on board, whether drivers, engineers or management personnel, always takes time for everyone to settle in. “The impact is significant,” he says. That’s something Ferrari can’t really afford ahead of the important 2026 season, when everything will be reset to zero.
“So that’s not a topic of conversation,” Hamilton said. “I’m here to win with Fred. He has my full support – just like everyone else here.”
“And that’s all I have to say on the matter,” says the seven-time world champion.
And yet there is always another topic that hangs in the air in the paddock amid Hamilton’s lack of success: early retirement.
But the 40-year-old categorically rules that out: “I’ve only just started at Ferrari. I’m here for several years and for the long haul. There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind where my head is and what I want to achieve with this team. So please stop making things up!”