Frederic Vasseur Not Worried About Hamilton's Transition to Ferrari

Frederic Vasseur expressed confidence about Lewis Hamilton’s transition to the team, despite his struggles in his final season with Mercedes. Hamilton, who will join Ferrari in the new year, faced a challenging 2023 with teammate George Russell outperforming him in qualifying and finishing 22 points ahead in the championship. Vasseur acknowledged Hamilton’s “tough moments” but emphasized that he was “never worried” about the situation.

He pointed to Hamilton’s strong performances in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi and believed the pressure of his final season at Mercedes affected his results. Vasseur, who played a key role in Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is not concerned about the rivalry between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. He believes their mutual respect will foster healthy competition that will push Ferrari forward.

Vasseur also addressed the challenge of integrating Hamilton into Ferrari’s operations, acknowledging that it would take time but he’s confident in Hamilton’s experience and adaptability. Hamilton will start testing with a 2023 Ferrari early in the new year to familiarize himself with the car. Looking ahead, Ferrari will launch their 2025 car on January 19 and Vasseur stated that the focus would be on performance rather than public events.

He also discussed his talks with Hamilton, noting that Ferrari’s strong 2023 performance made the move more appealing. Frederic Vasseur believes next season will be competitive with Ferrari aiming to close the 14-point gap to McLaren and challenge Red Bull and Mercedes for the championship. He stressed that every detail from decisions to mistakes would be crucial in the tight battle for the title.